Huautla de Jimenez
A Mazatec town in the mountains of Oaxaca, where the healer Maria Sabina was the best known guide of mushroom ceremonies, and where outside visitors have caused harm.
Practised and told of here
Best time: Dry season, with attention to mountain weather.
Maria Sabina (1894 to 1985) was a Mazatec curandera, a healer who used sacred mushrooms in all-night rites called veladas. In 1955 the banker R. Gordon Wasson was allowed to attend one, and his 1957 article in Life magazine drew thousands of visitors.
The aftermath
Maria Sabina later said the attention had ruined the practice. She was harassed, her house was burned and she was criticised by her neighbours. The Mazatec use the mushrooms as a sacred medicine, and in their view the rite is for healing, not recreation.
The legal and social setting
Mexican law permits traditional Indigenous use of the plants. Foreign visitors seeking drugs have caused trouble in town. Many residents are weary of the traffic, and some run guided experiences as a livelihood.
Visiting
Visitors can see the town and its markets and the Mazatec culture. A visit should not be about seeking out a ceremony. This guide does not describe the rite.
A respectful visit to Huautla de Jimenez
Living communities are not a show. Ask before photographing a person or a ceremony, and follow local rules.
- The town market Buy local crafts.
- Casa de la Cultura Look for local exhibits.
- The hills and waterfalls Walk the surrounding hills.
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Huautla de Jiménez" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and ceremonies change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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