“ … As Long as They Have Their Land”: The Huichol of Western Mexico, 1850–1895

In the decades following Mexican Independence, indigenous groups experienced the dramatic upheavals wrought by political chaos. In the last half of the century, liberal politicians created a series of reforms that aimed to modernize Mexico. This article examines the reactions of the Huichol Indians of western Mexico and their selective adaptations to the changing times over the course of the late nineteenth century. They did so not by rejecting wholesale Mexico and Mexicans but instead by actively engaging local, state, and in some cases federal authorities in an attempt to protect their lands and, by extension, their culture, language, and religious beliefs. As a result, the Huichols are one of only a handful of native communities to maintain a unique indigenous identity.