SOLD: 04/27/08

The dress of the Huicholes, as well as their ways and customs, is interesting as may be seen in Plate 4. Their principal ornament is chaquira, or multi- colored glass beads, feathers and bright colored textiles in which red predominates. Sometimes a jorongo of brown wool is worn; at other times merely a long, white shirt, without any ornament, and short trousers. Over such clothing the Huichol wears a sash of dyed wool and a cord tied around the waist with several small bags attached. Larger bags, fastened to leather straps, are slung over the shoulders. These articles are made of wool, woven on primitive looms with geometric designs in a large variety of patterns and colors. For special occasions, fiestas or mitotes as they call them, they wear beautifully decorated cloaks across their shoulders. The women of the tribe wear, besides similar but plainer dress, small shawls trimmed with chaquira.

The hair, worn long by men and women alike, is held down with a broad band, which has either a woven design or is embroidered with glass beads. The quaint hat indispensable to the Huichol is of woven straw, with an unusually small crown but very wide brim hung with strings of beads, tassels and ribbons of various colors. Some Huicholes go barefooted; others wear more or less elaborately worked huaraches. In certain instances socks are worn with these sandals.

Carlos Merida

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