A Huichol artist from Mexico who narrated and illustrated a
story from Huichol folklore will be visiting the next month.
A Huichol artist from Mexico who narrated and illustrated a story from Huichol folklore will be visiting the next month.
Modesto Rivera Lemus, of Nayarit, Mexico, told the story “When Animals Were People/Cuando los Animales Eran Personas,” which has been made into a children’s book. The bilingual book was retold in English by Santa Fe, N.M. writer Bonnie Larson.
Lemus, his wife Angela, and Larson will be featured guests in two Gilroy Library cultural exchange programs to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in September.
The book is based on tales Lemus learned while he was growing up. According to Huichol belief, the ancestors of today’s animals had huyman characteristics and had to learn survival skills. For instance, Turtle Person learns to be patient, Squirrel Person learns to find safety in high places, and Wolf person learns to use common sense over greed. It’s meant for children ages four to 10.
Lemus also made the illustrations for the story, which are yarn paintings, a Huichol art form developed about 60 years ago. To make the yarn paintings, wooden boards are covered in beeswax and pine pitch and wool yarn is applied to the surface to create textured paintings.
Gilroy librarian Lani Yoshimura met Lemus, Angela, who is a bead artist, and Larson in Guadalajara at the International Spanish Language Book Fair last year.
