The Huichol believe that they originally are from the state of San Luis Potosi but then later migrated westward to parts of the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains. There are no stories that exist about conquest or domination of the Huichols to any other respective ethnic groups. Before the migration into the mountains, they considered themselves part of the Guachichil ethnic group. This group was know to be very territorial. It is unlikely that the Guachichiles would let the Huichols walk peacefully through there land during the annual peyote hunt, so this is a thought that the Guachichiles recognized the Huichols as part of their own ethnic group. It is believed that the Huichols branched off from the Guachichiles, creating their own separate ethnic group. Traditionally the Huichols travel to their sacred place to eat the peyote cactus to communicate with their gods. There sacred place is in San Luis Potosi, so it is a good indicator that they originated there.
Some people believe that the Huichols migrated to the Occidental Mountains because of the Spaniards invading Mexico. The Spaniards came into Mexico and invaded many tribes homelands while searching for gold under the order of Nuno de Guzman. The combination of not much gold being found here and many Indian tribes breaking out in war with the Spanish, caused the Spaniards to soon leave the area. But it was too late for some of the tribes that started migrating to escape from the destruction the Spanish caused to their land.
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