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Synopsis - "Huichols and Pesticides" The Huichol community considers itself responsible for keeping the candles of life lit and for conserving the equilibrium between the forces of nature. For thousands of years, Huichol traditions have allowed them to maintain a self-sufficient agriculture based on their respect for nature. However, the indiscriminate logging of their forests and the constant invasion of their territory is degrading their traditional relationship with the environment. This has forced them to migrate to search for work as temporary day laborers. In the state of Nayarit, Mexico, the Huichols, like other indigenous groups such as the Tepehuanos, Mexicaneros, and Coras, work in tobacco fields where great amounts of agrochemical pesticides are used. By living and working in these fields for extended periods of time, day laborers, ejidatarios (communal land owners), and their families are exposed daily to these extremely toxic chemicals. |