Indigenous Art Mixer to Preserve Sacred Sites & Medicines!

Members of the Yale BIPOC Grad Collective, Yale Life Worth Living teaching team, and the Wirikuta Preservation Project (WPP) invite you to a special art fundraiser honoring Wixráika Elders' visions to preserve sacred medicines and sites!

The WPP was founded in 2022 by young spiritual activists in honor and under guidance of Wixárika Elders’ visions to preserve their sacred site of Wirikuta in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Having at its core a climate and Indigenous cultural resiliency mission, the WPP has succeeded in removing 600 acres of land from the speculative market with the goal of developing a culturally informed nature preserve project under a land trust on behalf of the Wixárika People.

Come support Indigenous artists and learn more about this wonderful initiative –including how to support, get involved, or become a mentor or advisor!

*** Watch documentary featuring our keynote speaker, Don Efrén Bautista Parra, during the time that he was governor of the tribe (2011-2012) and led his people in a successful blockade against silver mining projects.

$5-20 suggested donation. Opportunities to donate at the door and throughout the event will be available!

Throughout Event:

Wixárika art exhibition & sales featuring gorgeous yarn paintings and chakira beadwork sculptures & jewelry made by artists in the San Andres-Cohamiata communities of Jalisco, Mexico to which Don Efrén is responsible.

Refreshments provided, including specialty Mexican treats!

Open to the public! Family friendly.

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Location:

Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale (211 Park Street). Next door to Gryphon’s Pub. Street parking.

Look for greeters at the door and head to the Banquet Room.

5PM-5:15PM: Doors Open

Meet n' Greet & Silent Auction Sign-Up (Enter to Win Anh Life African Healing Herb Bundle)

5:15PM-5:30PM: Opening Remarks

5:30-6PM: Talk

"Protecting Indigenous Medicines from a West African and Global Perspective," by Dogon Kemetic Priest Naba Iritah Shenmira (Anh Life Natural Healing; Earth Center)

6PM-6:30PM: Appreciate the art!

~BIPOC Beats by Adi Kumar (student DJ who usually performs "conscious rap")

6:30PM-7PM: KEYNOTE

“The Wirikuta Preservation Project & Sustaining Traditional Pilgrimage Sites in Mexico,” by Wixárika Mara'akame Don Efrén Bautista Parra (San Jose Ceremonial Center at San Andres-Cohamiata)

7PM-7:30PM: Appreciate the art!

~BIPOC Beats

7:30PM-8PM: Q&A – with speakers , audience, student organizers, and staff of the Wirikuta Preservation Project.

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Keynote Guest Speaker: Don Efrén Bautista Parra:

Don Efrén is an Indigenous Mexican Wixárika ("Wee-raw-ree-kah") Elder "jicarero" (hee-kar–rer-ro) a type of “shaman"/knowledge-keeper) charged with spiritual and governmental duties on behalf of Wixárika tribal members. He was governor of the tribe in 2011-2012, during the campaign to block mining concessions from taking effect in Wirikuta.

A jicarero is a traditional spiritual and community leader of the Wixaritari people. There are up to 30 kinds of jicareros, each position consisting of a 5-year commitment. Don Efrén has become part of the "Mara'akate" (plural of "singer"-jicareros)--one of the most revered positions usually reached after an extensive jicarero career. As a Mara'akame (singular), Don Efrén is responsible for dreaming and visioning decisions on behalf of San Andres-Cohamiata community, the largest of tribally organized Wixárika clan settlements.

Guest Speaker: Naba Iritah Shenmira:

The Earth Center is a spiritual organization founded by Dogon priests of the long line of Kemetic Naba family lineage with the mission to foster humanity’s connection to its indigenous past while promoting human values and respect for all existents and natural healing methods. The Dogon live in many countries in West Africa and many continue practicing their traditional Indigenous Kemetic religion and knowledge practices. The Bobo land effort is located in western Burkina Faso, the home to many medicinal herbs, sacred sites, and natural healing resources that are under threat by industrialization.

Wirikuta Preservation Project

Life Worth Living at Yale Center for Faith & Culture

BIPOC Grad Collective at Yale Humanities in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, a new student organization committed to fostering and celebrating ethnic and racial diversity at Yale. Learn about diversity initiatives at Yale GSAS HERE.

Yale Afro-American Cultural Center

Anh Life Natural Healing

Earth Center

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Host or Publisher Wirikuta Preservation Project