One of Ajijic’s most beloved personalities passed away May 22. He touched people around the world and remains an inspiration to newcomers and old-timers alike in Lakeside.
Jesús María Higuera Hernández, born on March 1, 1951, passed away at the age of 71 on May 22, 2022. Photo: Facebook.
Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- Beloved Ajijic personality Jesús María Higuera Hernández, known as Katuza, was recognized worldwide, not only for his artistic skill, but for being a spiritual master and revolutionary man every day of his life.
Born on March 1, 1951, he grew up in Ajijic in a family originally from the town. Later he would travel to Canada to start a restaurant. After a few years abroad, he decided to return to his hometown after succumbing to excessive drinking.
Upon his return, according to one of his closest friends, Daniel Palma, he continued excessive drinking, until he had a scare that made him forswear alcohol. After this, he became interested in the Huichol culture and their pilgrimage of «La Cruz». Joining them he learned about dance, healing, spiritual rituals and temazcal (sweat lodge), and received the title of marakame (one who merges art and culture) by the Wixárika community.
One of the skills for which he was most recognized was the temazcal, an ancestral healing ritual connected to the sweat lodge. One of his students, Luis Ríos, shared that with his apprentices, Katuza was always very firm, with a strong and sincere character, which surprised many, and alienated many others.
«He handled the traditional Mexican temazcal with burnt brick, mud and his own hands. He fought so much that he lost the sense of the temazcal. It moves with love and with love people are healed. The temazcal goes deeper, cleanses your being, your soul, and returns the essence of why we are alive, that’s how he taught me,» Luis said.
He performed dozens of temazcals not only in Chapala, but also throughout México and even Europe. National and international people became interested in him because of his rituals. Several of his acquaintances said that he was always traveling to continue learning and cultivating his skills, which is why he was portrayed in articles in media around the world, such as the New York Times.
«Once, some friends of mine were looking for this kind of healing. I took them to Katuza because he did what they were looking for. After they left, they told me that, in healing them, he was very specific with each one, ridding them of what ailed them, without having to mention it to them. They were very surprised, that’s why they recognized him as the medicine man,» Daniel Palma shared.
As for his artistic side, his friend and colleague Daniel said that he handled wood and stone in a very rustic way, and his main creations portrayed lizards and iguanas.
Jesús María passed away last Sunday, May 22, at the age of 71. Many of his friends and acquaintances bid him farewell with a mass and small rituals.
He was a man who is a legend of the people Ajijic who is described with multiple titles: shaman, teacher, friend, artist, tyrant, and who inspired dozens of writings, songs, and videos that captured his eccentric life. One of those is a fragment of the song “Pájaro Rojo”, by Erick de Jesús Ocelotl:
Bajando luces de otros tiempos
Between the moon and the cold
Goes a marakame marking dreams
And the whispers of a child
[…]
Because you
You paint wings to my senses
And I
Smiling at your madness I tell you
[…]
Katuza is on an uncertain journey
Red bird red bird friend
Don’t forget what I say
Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan
Los comentarios están cerrados.
© 2016. Todos los derechos reservados. Semanario de la Ribera de Chapala