The Peyote is a small, extremely slow-growing, spineless cactus. It can take 10-30 years for the plant to mature before flowering. It grows in northern and central areas of Mexico, and in parts of America’s extreme southwest. Currently, peyote is rapidly disappearing from its original environment due to the region's exploitation and industrial growth. Over the last decades, Wix’arika people all around the globe have been fighting and working to preserve these ancestral traditions and legacy.

Every year, the Wix’arika people make a pilgrimage to the sacred desert of Wirikuta, the central point of their religious rituals, to collect the Hikuri, make offerings in sacred places, honor their religion, gather the sacred waters, celebrate around the fire, and connect with the wisdom they need to live their lives.

The Wix’arika way of life is rich with ceremonial practices. There are specific ceremonies for the four seasons, intended to bring balance and harmony to each individual, the community, and all of life. One of the most important ceremonies is the “Dance of the Deer”. This ceremony offers the chance for people to dance their prayers into the altar of Mother Earth. It is also a way to connect with the Deer Spirit, the most important of the Wix’arika animal powers. The deer is seen as an elder brother, a guide, which the shamans use to navigate the spirit realm and for healing. In their mythology, the gods and goddesses taught the deer in ancient times. He was the first student of Shamanism, the first to learn the secrets of the original shaman, Tatewari – Grandfather Fire. It is because of this that the deer is so revered and such an integral part of the ceremonial practice. Shamans say that the spirit of the Hikuri can be seen as a Blue Deer, Kauyumari; therefore, it is a common motif in Wix’arika art and symbolism.