Newsletter Update
Update Newsletter (Spring 1997)
Greetings from The Peyote Foundation! We have had a very busy winter.
Normally you would have received our journal by now. However, due to the
recent rush of activities, we have decided to send out this newsletter to update
our members. You will be receiving the next issue of the official publication of
The Peyote Foundation soon.
contents
Church Activities
The new year has brought several invitations for President Mercado
to attend Native American Church (NAC) ceremonies.
These events have been an inspirational watershed for us,
providing invaluable support and fellowship. On New Year’s Eve,
Raven, Leonard, and Moses Mercado accepted the invitation of the Hon.
Dallas DeLowe, then Chief Judge of the Gila Reservation, to participate in
a peyote ceremony held at his residence. Dallas is a RoadChief with a particular
gift for making people feel welcome. His devotion to the medicine is inspiring to
those around him, and this new year was begun in a very sacred and edifying way.
We thank Dallas and his family for extending the blessing of the sacrament to us,
and for being so supportive throughout the past year by always being ready to
provide an encouraging word .
Arriving home from church on New Year’s day,
we were welcomed by friends gathered for the first
marriage ceremony of The Peyote Foundation (TPF).
Terry Lambert and Rattlesnake Robert Breeden (a founding member of TPF)
were joined in Holy Matrimony by Rev. Michael Brown. A beautiful ceremony
in which a peyote button was ceremonially divided and distributed by the minister
was followed by a fireside drumming ceremony. Our best wishes go out to Terry
and Rattlesnake who are making their home in Midway, Utah.
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Journey to Mexico
One week later, Michael Brown again offered his services to TPF
by caretaking the grounds and greenhouse while Raven, Leo, and Moses
accompanied friends and members Tracey Morgan and Mark Engler to Mexico.
Michael, and our dear friend and supporter Jonathan Bailey, were wonderfully productive
during our absence, planting rosemary plants and creating a wood-fired hot bath .
While in Mexico, we were very happy to be able to visit our friends and
family among the Huichol tribe in the area near Tepic, Nayarit. It had been
seven years since we were among these beloved people of the tropical side of the
Pacific Sierra. Many changes are taking place in the world of the Huichol. The last time
we had been among them, the elder shaman Don Jose Matsuwa was still telling
stories on the banks of the Rio Santiago. Now he lives as a crystal being, eternally bound
to the soil of his sacred Wirikuta. The river is now swollen into a large lake, held up by the
recently completed Aguamilpas Dam and Hydroelectric project. The former mountain village
of La Mesita has moved down to the lakeside, enabling easy access to supplies, fishing, and
transport to town. Amidst the new, the old ways still radiate from the eyes of our Huichol
brothers and sisters. Our son Moses, whose last visit to the mountain-top villages had been
in Raven’s swollen tummy, was introduced to his namesake (Moses Antonio) and “nino,”
Antonio Rosa Rios, grandson of the late Don Jose Matsuwa. Antonio gave Moses his
Huichol name, “Hautsilla,” which means “nourishing morning dew.” He was also given a
“muvieri” (feathered prayer stick) and hatband for the hat which Tracey had purchased for
him earlier. We were fortunate to be able to bring home some of the sacred art which
Antonio, wife Angela, and his mother, Doņa
Juana produce.
While in the area, we accepted an invitation to participate in a peyote ceremony
being hosted in a sacred valley lush with fruit orchards and inspiring, pyramid-like
mountain peaks. We enjoyed an inspiring day among new and old acquaintances,
drumming, blowing conch horns, and sharing the glory of God’s abundant Creation.
Mark and Tracey were joined in marriage that day as part of a 10 day wedding tour of
Mexico. It was an honor to share that important time with them and the holy sacrament.
Gracious thanks to our friends Luis, Gene, and Carlos, whose openness and generosity
with things of the Spirit made our visionary excursion possible.
We spent three days in Guadalajara at the residence of Silviano and Jorge Camberos.
These remarkable brothers are well known among the interior Huichol sierra, having
lived and worked among them for some time. Silviano is an MD who has been instrumental
in helping increase awareness of pesticide poisoning, tuberculosis, traditional
resource loss, and other problems among the tribe as a whole. He and Jorge
are innovating new projects to assist these people to manage their own existence
more independently. One project dear to our hearts concerns the protection of land
within the San Luis Potosi desert known as Wirikuta. Luis and Jorge have
long been interested in establishing safe-zones for the peyote cactus to be
propagated, protected, and sustainably harvested by Huichol pilgrims.
Though this area still contains large amounts of peyote, depletion of natural
populations is increasing. We wish to commend these two brothers for their concern,
attention, and data gathering on which they have spent so much of their time and resources.
Look for a detailed report in the upcoming journal.
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Legal Front
A new chapter has unfolded in our legal situation. On January 18,
we were pulled over for speeding while entering the small town near
which we live. After calling in Leo’s license, the two new police officers
and one trainee, none of whom knew us (Leo is a 36 year resident) nor we
them, informed Leo that he was going to be arrested due to a $500 contempt
of court warrant. This was resulting from a child-support issue he has been
contesting. Though he was able to pay the fine and be immediately released, one
of the officers made an issue of the medicine-bag Leo carries. He opened it up and
asked him about the contents. Leo told him that it was a medicine-bag containing
his sacrament. He also told him that if there was any question as to the bag’s
contents or purpose that he should call the Chief of Police who knows us and
could verify his statement. Instead, Leo was relieved of his medicine and told
that the County Attorney’s office had decided to impound it until further investigation.
On January 30, Leo was hand-delivered a letter by the Pinal County Sheriff’s
Department from County Attorney Carter Olson. In it, Olson declined to press
charges for the medicine-bag, but also refused to return it to our possession.
Instead, Olson mentions the possibility of releasing it to “...the Native American
Church or another federally recognized religious institution authorized to possess peyote.”
Olson goes on to contest the ‘96 return of our peyote by his predecessor, Gilbert
Figeruoa, and also “authorizes” us to deliver all peyote in our possession (or face the
threat of “peril”) to the Kearny Police Department by March 1st. County Attorney Olson
again states his willingness to detour our medicine to a federally recognized religious group.
It is Olson’s contention that we must somehow prove our religious sincerity in court.
Thus, with legal representation provided by attorney Lynn Goar, and
The Rutherford Institute
we filed a motion for order to show cause and a restraining order against
the County. We had a hearing on February 28 in which the judge decided not to
rule based on lack of jurisdiction. All documents, including Leo’s response to the
County Attorney’s allegations, will be posted soon on our website (http://www.win.net/~peyote).
Check it for regular updates. A full report will appear in the next edition of our journal.
In December, TPF provided information to the defense and prosecution in the case of
two Native American Church members who were stopped for a traffic violation in Ventura
County, California. Approximately 10,000 fresh peyote buttons were confiscated from
their van. As president of The Peyote Foundation, Leo issued a statement which
expressed the need to handle the fresh sacrament with care and respect. Peter Garcia,
a NAC member who attended the release hearing, reported that the judge in the
case made reference to our letter, and subsequently released the medicine to a
NAC custodian. Our thanks to Peter and Kathy Garcia, for their ongoing support
and to Attorneys Michael Schwartz and Jerry Patchen for their legal assistance.
December also brought TPF and David Eagleheart of Silver City, NM together in the
defense of the religious use of peyote. It had been six months since a quantity of
peyote had been confiscated from his family’s home. Subsequent communications
from TPF to David’s lawyer, the Grant County Attorney, and the Governor of New
Mexico were issued in support of the immediate release of the sacrament and
David’s Church instruments. Brother Eagleheart furnished documentation to the
prosecution and to TPF that he is a member in good standing of the Central Coastal
California NAC, and is authorized to officiate Church services in the office of RoadChief.
In early February, David was advised that the peyote would be released to his rightful
possession. Upon hearing the good news, we asked David to serve as RoadChief at
TPF’s first official NAC ceremony. On February 15, we were grateful to host a land
blessing and baptism on behalf of our family and TPF. Many of our closest friends and
advisors, along with several NAC officers and members came together to pray for the
well-being of the people, plants, and purpose of this place. Our NAC brothers and sisters
were given tours of the greenhouse with explanations of cultural and preservation projects
we are testing. I extend my warm thanks to all of you who helped us in this blessing, without
whose outgoing support this Church Service would not have taken place.
God Bless you all!
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New Members and Projects
We have been receiving regular requests for membership and information.
Due to recent legal matters and the loss of our old faithful 286 computer
(yes, they still exist), we have not been as quick in responding as we would like.
Please excuse us for any delays. Thanks to the kind donation and service of Jay Hamm,
a fine Rave spinner from the Phoenix area, we are now the proud owners of (probably)
the world’s first Lego 386 computer, with which we are producing this newsletter.
You see, all the PC innards were needing a case to be housed in, so Raven and Jay
built a colorful Lego housing for the components. Thanks, Jay!
We were recently sought out by the Lee Grey family of the Navajo Reservation.
Mr. Grey had learned of our work from a newspaper article and went out of his way
to drive to Kearny and ask around for anybody who might know how to contact us.
Sure enough, he happened upon the owner of the houses we lease and so was directed
to our home. Mr. Grey, a Navajo RoadChief, has been involved in some legal difficulties
with feathers and fans which he makes for use in NAC ceremonies. He sought our
support in assembling factual information for his defense. We were happy to learn that
Mr. Grey is a respected teepee maker. After much discussion, we agreed to contract
with him for TPF’s Tepee, to be used in NAC worship services here on our facility.
It was also decided to try to access 12 oz. 100% hemp canvas for this special project.
Hemp is a much more durable and sustainably grown canvas than cotton. Thanks to the
generous assistance from Don Wirtshafter of Ohio Hempery, we have been able to secure
a greatly discounted price on the 100 yds. of material we will need. We are setting aside
a fund and accepting donations for the purchase of canvas, poles, and labor costs.
On February 14, Valentine’s Day, we were visited by High Times correspondent
and photographer, Dan Skye. HT has requested an interview and photos for an
upcoming feature story. Dan has participated in NAC ceremony in the past.
While here, Dan stayed busy photographing beautiful specimens from the sacramental
greenhouse. Look for our story in the July issue.
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Spring Arrives in the Greenhouse
As morning arrived on the day after our recent tepee ceremony, spring
arrived by way of many flowers and seed fruits in the greenhouse.
They seemed to be responding to the nearby drumming of the night before.
Spring growth has begun to show in rooted and grafted specimens. We have
planted seeds in a germination chamber which Leo constructed from two clear
Tupperware containers and a water-bed heater. One of the containers is filled with
water and placed on top of the heating pad. The second container is nestled in the
lower one and the thermostat placed inside for accurate reading of soil temperature.
A clear, breathable lid was constructed from large vegetable (micro-pore) bags, and a
light shade covering placed on top. Pots with seeds and soil mix are maintained at 80° F,
and humidity is naturally maintained. During the heat of the day, the lid is left slightly open
to allow air circulation . The young seedlings are unusually large and plump. Four week old
seedlings are already 3/8” in diameter and growing quickly. David Eagleheart donated a large
bag of peyote cleanings (fuzz) which we have cleaned for seeds. This yielded over 1000 seeds
which have now been planted. Several hundred seeds of grafting stock and other cacti are also
being sprouted in the seed chamber.
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Thanks for Your Help
Though we work hard to make our own way in the world, lately it has all come
down to help from others. Our very existence here has been made possible by
the Grace of God and generous support from many of our members and friends.
Andrei Foldes, Martin and Marilyn Terry, Eli Medina, Noel Hebets, Ron Turman,
Don Wirtshafter, Bob and Jo Fowler, Dan and Mary Quaintence, Dave Collins,
and Steve Kubby were of particular help in our recent time of need.
We thank everybody who came from all directions and professions to rally in our
support. Cristobal Casillas lovingly created the drawings which grace this issue.
We thank him and appreciate his stay here while on a tour of the globe, studying
shamanic plant use.
We are humbled to admit that we need financial assistance now
more than ever. Though recent legal developments hold much promise
for securing our constitutional protection regarding religious peyote use and
possession, it is a task which requires more funds than we are able to currently
produce. Leo’s work with pottery has slowed in direct proportion to the amount that
Foundation responsibilities have increased. Raven, while still maintaining a mail-order
ceremonial incense and supply business, has taken a part time job as bookkeeper for a
local trucking and ranching operation. Our upcoming civil court trial in which we are seeking
redress concerning the raid of our home in October ‘95, is something
which is beginning to take more time and attention. We are also contesting
the forfeiture of Leo’s medicine bag in court.
We are running behind on our land payment and are having to
neglect other expenses just to keep our lease active, thus avoiding eviction.
At this time, we see no real possibility of maintaining our work at another location.
We have worked hard for over six years to maintain this place, and it would be an
extreme hardship to attempt a relocation . If any of our supporters are in a position
to help us financially, this is an excellent time to help. We are willing to trade our own,
or Huichol artwork for donations whenever possible. With your help we can continue to
maintain the work and facility with which we have been blessed.
Thank you all for your support!
Leonard and Raven Mercado
President and Secretary/Treasurer
The Peyote Foundation
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