Homeland of the Huichol People

The Huichol people reside in Northwest Mexico near the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains. The landscape there is a rough terrain full of bushes and trees covering the area. Because of all the natural vegetation in this area, the Huichol's have a very unique way of growing crops. They actually burn down the bushes and trees creating an open area they then use for farming. After burning the vegetation, the soil in the area is very unfertile and lost a lot of its natural minerals. Therefore crops do not grow all that well and don't have much nutrition anymore. This lack of nutrition leads to malnutrition of many Huichol people.

 

The main source of food for the Huichol people is by farming their own crops. They grow crops such as maize, beans, squash, avocado and chilies. Occasionally families will own livestock such as cattle, pigs, and chickens. Instead of using the animals to eat, the Huichols use their animals mainly for dairy products such as milk and cheese. They also rely a lot on hunting wild animals for food. They hunt for all sorts of animals, such as deer, hogs, and rabbits. This mountainous area provides cover for these animals, so there is always a supply of food to hunt for.