Intro
Brant Secunda has dedicated his life towards preserving the
Huichol tradition as a living culture by working to integrate the ancient tools of
shamanism into the modern world.
Members of the international medical, religious and educational communities, including the
World Health Organization, have recognized Brant’s commitment -- as well as his knowledge -- by inviting him to be a featured speaker, workshop leader, and participant at various conferences worldwide.
Moreover, Brant Secunda has created and maintains a working model for preserving Huichol culture through the auspices of the Dance of the Deer Foundation Center for Shamanic Studies.
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Early Life
Brant Secunda completed a twelve year apprenticeship with the late
don José Matsuwa in 1978 to become a
shaman and ceremonial leader in the Huichol Indian tradition.
Living in the Sierra Madre Mountains of
Mexico, the Huichols are considered to be one of the last tribes in North America to have preserved their pre-Columbian traditions.
Don José was a renowned Huichol Indian tribal elder and shaman who died at the age of 110.
Brant Secunda’s initiation into the Huichol tribe was a five day vision quest, a period of isolation in the wilderness without food and water, in a sacred cave in the Huichol Sierras known to the Huichols as the Cave of Grandmother Growth.
Other rites of passage included capturing and releasing a wild rattle snake with his bare hands to face his fear of death, enduring a fourteen month fruit fast to enhance his sensitivity to the natural world, and surviving a nine-day vision quest so that he may, according to Huichol cosmology, learn the language of the gods.
The nine-day vision quest, considered lengthy by Huichol standards, along with several other five-day vision quests, helped to establish Brant as a respected initiate within the Huichol nation.
The Dance of the Deer Foundation
Don José emphasized to Brant that the cultural survival of the Huichol people depended upon external awareness of the Huichol way of life.
In 1979, Brant <blockquote>
Don José, renowned Huichol shaman, often said, "If you open your heart to the light, there is no room for darkness".
Learn to harvest the light, brighten your spirit, and become crystal clear.
— Brant Secunda
</blockquote>Secunda established the
Dance of the Deer Foundation, Center for Shamanic Studies to disseminate and preserve Huichol culture, practices, and traditions and to provide direct assistance with the goal of promoting self-sufficiency and economic independence.
As executive director of the Dance of the Deer Foundation, Brant Secunda instituted and maintains the functions of the foundation and conducts seminars, pilgrimages, and retreats on Huichol shamanism worldwide.
For the last 17 years, Brant Secunda has taught ongoing study groups in the United States and Europe at places such as Crete, Greece, Alaska, Mt.
Shasta, CA, Big Sur, CA, Mt.
Rainier, WA, and Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Shamanism Worldwide
Brant Secunda shares Huichol traditions with people worldwide and initiates projects to preserve Huichol culture.
For over two decades, the Dance of the Deer Foundation has documented Huichol culture on film, video, and audiotape in an ongoing effort to archive the material in books and in a Huichol museum for future generations.
With one video already completed and released, Brant plans to edit footage for a second video and to complete various CD’s of Huichol folk music.
Brant would also like to further develop an infrastructure within the Huichol villages to establish economic autonomy while producing the materials for their artwork.
To complete this goal, the foundation would build a bead factory and employ proper training so that the Huichols can manage and operate the factory successfully.
Further Reading
Brant Secunda - biography of world renowned shaman, healer and ceremonial leader, Brant Secunda. Articles by and about Brant Secunda The Language of the Fire - an article about Brant Secunda and his teacher, Don Jóse Matsuwa. External Links
Shamanism.com - Information on Shamanism and the ancient traditions of the Huichol Indians Shaman Chocolates helps to support the Huichol Indians through the sale of 100% Organic and Fair Trade chocolate Nico Secunda - Official Site of photographer Nico Secunda
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