Xa'ureme Ricardo Muñoz Villa,
Mara’akame (shaman)
I am a Mara'kame (chanter, singing shaman, priest) and I sow my lands and take care of my animals. I have also received the position of steward in a Caligüey (a large Wixarika temple). I come from a very ancient indigenous community, the Wixarikas, located in San Andrés de Cohamiata, Jalisco, Mexico. A place close to the ocean, the desert and the mountains.
The Wixarika nation has different sanctuaries around the Republic of Mexico, to which they pilgrimage seeking the blessing of the deities.
The word "Wixarika" translates to "man of deep heart in search of knowledge."
My family comes from the oldest lineages of Mara'kames in my community. Since I was a child, I was prepared to be a chanter-healer.
Our Wixarika community is united by the Ceremonies. In these, traditions, dances, songs, and medicine are shared through oral tradition.
In each family, there is a temple and a singer-healer, who is the one who guides the ceremony cycles. We also have major temples where the chosen Mara'kames can represent larger families. I was chosen to be the guide of one of the major temples.
The preparation of the Mara'kames begins at an early age, climbing the ceremonial centers to the highest, where the family is larger. It is also necessary to make a pilgrimage to get to know our entities (spiritual masters).
To be a Mara'kame is to be a representative of a people, to preserve tradition, to help people with their spiritual and health problems, and to serve the people, the family, and the community.