Appendix A: Pilgrimage to Palaxtepetl

Abstract

Preparations for the Journey introduCtion to the ProBlem of keePing to the Path Upon presenting us with the collection of cut-paper figures that he and his fellow ritual specialists had created for the typical pilgrimage to a sacred mountain, our friend and colleague Cirilo emphasized that he wanted everyone to know about the beauty of his religion. He spoke in Spanish with eloquent words of caution and advice:These rituals are not a game, they are our life. I am giving you my sons and daughters, my devotion. I spent my life dedicating offerings to them, and they provide us with maize. God watches over us when we dig and plant maize, and we have to give something back. People no longer respect the things of this world. I am sorry that I am poor and must accept aid to make my offerings. But it is okay, I accept it with the best of intentions. Set up an altar. Follow the correct path. 3 Cirilo's admonition poses a number of intellectual and practical problems. To follow a straight, true, or correct path ("camino derecho")-through life or on the pilgrimage trek-can seem difficult and frustrating. Sometimes the trail deviates or becomes treacherous, leading travelers in the wrong direction and causing them to slip off to one side or the other, or exacerbating errors of judgment and intemperate behavior that can result in disaster. Just as with any religious practice, there is no possibility of success without concentrated focus on a clear goal. Each individual faces the difficult task of recognizing the path and, once becoming aware of it, expending an enormous amount of disciplined effort required to follow it. Pilgrimage is the journey through life writ small. As a practice it provides both the path and the way forward for people willing to listen and learn. It is a significant social phenomenon that traces deep into prehistory and is found in cultures throughout the world. Going on a sacred journey changes people by putting them into direct contact with venerated places. A visit to such a center can alter the position of individuals in their home communities. Countless generations of pilgrims have come to recognize the profound value of this practice for their personal lives. While pilgrimage varies widely among different cultures, it speaks to our common humanity. In this work we present ethnographic information on how one group in Mesoamerica approaches the practice of pilgrimage and addresses the problem of keeping to the path.We describe and analyze religious pilgrimages undertaken by Nahua peoples who live today in the tropical forests of northern Veracruz, Mexico. Nahuas speak the Nahuatl language, and they are heirs to the early civilizations of Mesoamerica, including the Toltec,