FINDING LOST CIVILIZATIONS This

ences. I am optimistic that goodness in people is the prevailingcharacteristic of mankind. Since that day my father andI became good friends with the Huichols in the town squareof Guayabitos.As I was preparing to go back to California I returnedto the town square to see what wares the Huichols were selling.I came upon an old and weathered man who was sellingseveral plastic jars containing a white cream. I asked himwhat it was and he made a rubbing motion with his handon his arm. He then said, “peyote, peyote.” I looked at himand made a motion with my hands indicating I was eatingsomething and said, “peyote.” We both started laughing andhe motioned for me to sit down next to him. As I sat downhe began speaking Huichol and at some point his voice tookon a rhythm that sounded as if he was reciting a poem orprayer. He then pointed toward the mountains of Nayaritand made a sign indicating that the two of us should go intothe mountains. I nodded my head up and down. It seemedlike the old man was the grandfather as there was alwaysa middle-aged man and woman and a beautiful youngerwoman with the group. The younger woman always had asmile and that night she wore a turquoise linen dress andHuichol Indian, Nayarit, Mexico.109