After becoming a mara’akame, Don David Wiley took on a sacred commitment—mandas made not only with his words, but with his heart, his feet, and his life. Each year, he has walked the ancient trails to Wirikuta, the sacred desert nestled in the mountains of central Mexico, a place the Wixárika people revere as the birthplace of the world.
This pilgrimage is no simple journey. It is a return, a reweaving of relationship with the ancestors, with the Sacred Sites, with Fire, and with Divine. For the Wixaritari, this path is a living thread that sustains their tradition, their identity, and their understanding of life. For Don David, it is also an act of profound devotion—a personal offering of love, respect, and fidelity to the sacred agreements made when he was initiated.
Today, Don David serves as the attending shaman for Grupo Tatewari, guiding other mara’akate in this yearly pilgrimage to fulfill their own mandas. With each step, he not only renews his personal commitment, but also holds space and spiritual direction for those walking beside him—ensuring that the sacred teachings, the ceremonial precision, and the heartfelt devotion of this ancestral path are preserved, honored, and passed on with integrity as Grandfather Fire has instructed.
This deepening of commitment is made possible under the care and guidance of Don Efren González, a respected elder Wixárika mara’akame, who is teaching and accompanying Don David and the group to ensure their experiences are not only authentic, but rooted in the real transmission of the tradition. Don Efren’s presence brings wisdom, depth, and spiritual authority, helping the group to grow in clarity, humility, and devotion, while strengthening their healing work and understanding of the ancient ways.
It’s important to note that this pilgrimage is not open to the public. It is a sacred commitment reserved exclusively for initiated mara’akate who have been entrusted with this responsibility as part of their ongoing spiritual training and service.
Year after year, through sun and silence, dust and stars, Don David walks with the prayer of continuity in his chest—honoring not just the steps of the elders who came before, but also carrying the prayers of those who may never see those mountains. Each pilgrimage is a renewal of his spiritual covenant—an expression of gratitude and humility, and a testament to the unshakable relationship he holds with the wisdom of the ancestors and the sacred geography of this world.
In walking these ancient paths and leading others upon them, Don David reminds us that commitment to the sacred is not a one-time promise—it is a lifelong dance with mystery, duty, and love.
This pilgrimage starts and ends in Casa Xiuhtecuhtli.
