PEYOTE IN MEXICO AT RISK FROM DRUG TOURISTS
PEYOTE POPULATION IN MEXICO AT RISK FROM DRUG TOURISTS
Peyote population threatened by drug tourists
Carlos Castaneda published the book ‘The Teachings of Don Juan’ in 1968.
In this book, the Peyote Cactus played an important role.
Since then, tourists from all over the world have been coming to Mexico to look for, find and eat the Peyote.
This Peyote hunting by tourists is reducing the number of Peyote's.
Mainly because the Peyote's are not harvested skillfully, causing the Peyote to die.
Peyote population threatened by Huichol Indians
Every year, the Huichol Indians hold a pilgrimage to collect Peyote trees.
This Peyote hunt is accompanied by sacred rites and ceremonies.
The area around Real de Catorce is one of the Huichol Indians' most sacred sites.
Real de Catorce
Real de Catorce is a place near an old silver mine in the mountains of the state of San Luis Potosi in northern Mexico.
Drug tourists mainly come to Real de Catorce to seek and consume the Peyote.
Protected status
The Huichol Indians have therefore asked the Mexican government for protection.
They request that the route of their pilgrimage to the Peyote growing sites be declared a protected area.
Harvesting a Peyote
If you only cut off the head (‘button’) of a Peyote, the root continues to grow.
New Peyote heads develop, which can be harvested years later.
If you take the whole Peyote out of the soil with the thick taproot, the Peyote will die.
Scarcity of Peyote
Every year it becomes harder to find the Peyote's.
As a result, the Peyote is facing extinction in these areas.