The Wixárika Research Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation that has been formed to promote public awareness of the Huichol (Wixárika) Indian culture of Mexico. Its founders, Yvonne and Juan Negrín, have worked with the Wixaritari since 1970, establishing links with other organizations working in the area as well. For the past 34 years they have collected religious and authentic art and endeavored to help the public appreciate it and understand it as a window into the Wixárika culture.
In February 1979, Juan Negrín was named honorary consultant to the Tuapuri Community, and he took an active role in protecting their land from exploitation by logging interests. With help from many sources, the Wixaritari stopped the initial attempts to reduce their land rights and exploit their forests, thus defending the future of their culture.
Negrín continued his fieldwork with these indigenous people, reaching into other tribal areas, until 1996. During this period, the Negríns established a number of charitable organizations in Mexico to promote ecological development and self-sufficiency through carpentry and weaving workshops, which produced items for a strong internal and regional market. Now living in California, they retain active ties with the Wixaritari.
The Wixárika Research Center is developing a database of information about Wixárika culture, to be made available to the public through this Web site and other means. Additional interactive media on Wixárika culture will provide a valuable resource for academic researchers and the general public. The center will post updates about current events affecting the Wixaritari, their culture, and their environment.
