Description
Watakame's Journey - The Huichol Myth of the Great Flood and the New World is a retelling of the traditional Huichol story of creation through colourful yarn paintings. Eleven Huichol artists created the images in this book to illustrate the story of Watakame. Nakawe, goddess of all living things, instructs this young boy. At first Watakame rejects her teachings but eventually follows her instructions to prepare for a great flood by building a boat. The flood washes everything away but the boy and his dog survive. They were told to take several kinds of seeds with them. In a New World the boy plants the seeds as the goddess creates plants and animals. Watakame receives further instructions about planting and caring for the plants - corn, beans, and squash. The Huichol Indians of Mexico are descendents of Watakame, the first wise man and healer. He teaches the people the proper ceremonies that celebrate their New World. Each page of the text is illustrated with brightly coloured yarn paintings. Huichol artists use yarns, softened beeswax and pine pitch to create the images of Watakame's journey. This book is written for elementary and secondary students so they can appreciate the rich spiritual heritage of the Huichol People. The book includes a glossary of Huichol symbols used throughout the text as well as a page about the culture and spirituality of the Huichol.