A God's eye (in Spanish, Ojo de Dios) is a spiritual and votive object made by weaving a design out of yarn upon a wooden cross. Often several colors are used. They are commonly found in Mexican, Peruvian people and Latin American communities, among both Indigenous and Catholic peoples.
Ojos de Dios are common in the Pueblos of New Mexico. Often they reflect a confidence in all-seeing Providence. Some believers think the spiritual eye of the Ojos de Dios has the power to see and understand things unknown to the physical eye.[1] During Spanish colonial times in New Mexico from the 16th to the 19th centuries, Ojos de Dios (God's Eye) were placed where people worked, or where they walked along a trail.[2]
In other parts of the Americas, artisans weave complicated or variegated versions of the traditional Ojos de Dios, selling them as decorations or religious objects.[1] There has also been a huge increase in the use of Ojos de Dios as an easy and fun craft for children.
The Ojo de Dios or God's eye is a ritual tool that was believed to protect those while they pray, a magical object, and an ancient cultural symbol evoking the weaving motif and its spiritual associations for the Huichol and Tepehuan Americans of western Mexico. The Huichol or Wixaritari call their God's Eyes Tsikuri, which means "the power to see and understand things unknown."[citation needed] When a child is born, the father weaves the central eye, then one color is added for every year of the child's life until the child reaches the age of five.[3] Original Tepehuan Crosses are extremely rare to come by. Many are made for the tourist market, but they do not carry the same traditional and spiritual significance.
In the traditional Huichol ranchos, the nieli'ka or nierika is an important ritual artifact. Negrín states that one of the principal meanings of "nierika" is that of "a metaphysical vision, an aspect of a god or a collective ancestor,"[4] and is the same term the Tepehuán people use to refer to deities. Negrín quotes Lumholtz as stating that for the Huichol and Tepehuan "a nierika means a picture, an appearance, or a sacred representation."[4] The term nierika is etymologically rooted in the verb nieriya, "to see". Nierika are found in Huichol and Tepehuans' most sacred places: house shrines (xiriki), springs, caves and temples. Some Natives of northwest Mexico and throughout the southwest U.S. have had visions during peyote ceremonies in which they received guidance from gods who appeared before them in many shapes, though the eyes of the God were so intense and overwhelming that many Natives could only see the eye of the God. To show others the vision they had, they made the God's eye - woven on sticks with handspun yarn, colored with various types of berries, flowers, and other materials to capture the essence of their vision.
Negrín states that: "The votivenierika is generally a round offering, symbolizing an ancestor and prayer offerings sanctified by the blood of a sacrificed animal."[4]Nierika as a ritual object may be attached to votive arrows with bamboo and yarn, or wood-and-wax-embedded objects. Similarly, Lumholtz states that the nierika "evokes an ancestor, thanks it with blood offerings, and invokes its favors." The nierika may take different forms and fabrication may differ greatly: a small round or square tablet with a hole in the center covered on one or both sides with a mixture of beeswax and pine resin into which threads of yarn are pressed; when the image is not round, it may be considered a resting mat for the ancestors, or a prayer mat or itari.
Negrín states the elaborate interwoven nierika that Lumholtz called namma (which is close to the pronunciation of Namkha) from which originated the detailed and now prized yarn paintings of the commercial art world, are now rarely if ever seen.[4]Namma were generally rectangular or square in shape, with yarn woven onto a grid of bamboo sticks. These God's Eyes are also called by the Spanish term ojo de dios. One understanding of the ojo de dios according to Harvey is of a: "wand" (the eye) through which the eye of god will see the supplicant. Harvey states that: "The cross of the ojo de dios is that of the legendary four directions: earth, fire, water, and air."[5]
Noel, Thomas J. (1989). . Archived from the original on 2013-09-22. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
Mager, Lynn (2012). "Traveling the Trail - El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail". U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
Corelis, Angela (undated?). "Huichol Indians, their Art and Symbols". (accessed: Sunday, 7 January 2007)
Hale, Vincent (2001). "Eye of God (Ojo de Dios)". (accessed: Sunday, January 7, 2007).
Lumholtz, Carl S. (?). Symbolism of the Huichol Indians, Volume III, 1900-1907.
Negrín, Juan (2003). "Nerika". (accessed: Sunday, 7 January 2007)
Valadez, Susana (1994). . Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2007-01-07.
Zelaya, Jose (2005). Arte del Pueblo. (accessed: Sunday, January 7, 2007)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to God's eyes.
Wixárika Research Center
"Ojo de Dios Huichol - Símbolo de enlace con la energía del entorno". Cultura10 (in Spanish). September 23, 2018.
"El Ojo De Dios Huichol, Un Amuleto De Protección y Cosmovisión". El que siembra, cosecha (in Spanish). May 15, 2014.
Durán, Angeline (February 14, 2018). "What's A God's Eye?". Ancient Southwest.
November 25, 2023
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For Eye of God see Eye of God disambiguation This article contains weasel words vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information Such statements should be clarified or removed July 2016 A God s eye in Spanish Ojo de Dios is a spiritual and votive object made by weaving a design out of yarn upon a wooden cross Often several colors are used They are commonly found in Mexican Peruvian people and Latin American communities among both Indigenous and Catholic peoples God s eye or Ojo de Dios on Quemado Mountain San Luis Potosi MexicoOjos de Dios are common in the Pueblos of New Mexico Often they reflect a confidence in all seeing Providence Some believers think the spiritual eye of the Ojos de Dios has the power to see and understand things unknown to the physical eye 1 During Spanish colonial times in New Mexico from the 16th to the 19th centuries Ojos de Dios God s Eye were placed where people worked or where they walked along a trail 2 In other parts of the Americas artisans weave complicated or variegated versions of the traditional Ojos de Dios selling them as decorations or religious objects 1 There has also been a huge increase in the use of Ojos de Dios as an easy and fun craft for children The Ojo de Dios or God s eye is a ritual tool that was believed to protect those while they pray a magical object and an ancient cultural symbol evoking the weaving motif and its spiritual associations for the Huichol and Tepehuan Americans of western Mexico The Huichol or Wixaritari call their God s Eyes Tsikuri which means the power to see and understand things unknown citation needed When a child is born the father weaves the central eye then one color is added for every year of the child s life until the child reaches the age of five 3 Original Tepehuan Crosses are extremely rare to come by Many are made for the tourist market but they do not carry the same traditional and spiritual significance Contents 1 Nierika Nieli ka 2 See also 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksNierika Nieli ka edit nbsp Ojo de dios made from chopsticks and yarnIn the traditional Huichol ranchos the nieli ka or nierika is an important ritual artifact Negrin states that one of the principal meanings of nierika is that of a metaphysical vision an aspect of a god or a collective ancestor 4 and is the same term the Tepehuan people use to refer to deities Negrin quotes Lumholtz as stating that for the Huichol and Tepehuan a nierika means a picture an appearance or a sacred representation 4 The term nierika is etymologically rooted in the verb nieriya to see Nierika are found in Huichol and Tepehuans most sacred places house shrines xiriki springs caves and temples Some Natives of northwest Mexico and throughout the southwest U S have had visions during peyote ceremonies in which they received guidance from gods who appeared before them in many shapes though the eyes of the God were so intense and overwhelming that many Natives could only see the eye of the God To show others the vision they had they made the God s eye woven on sticks with handspun yarn colored with various types of berries flowers and other materials to capture the essence of their vision Negrin states that The votive nierika is generally a round offering symbolizing an ancestor and prayer offerings sanctified by the blood of a sacrificed animal 4 Nierika as a ritual object may be attached to votive arrows with bamboo and yarn or wood and wax embedded objects Similarly Lumholtz states that the nierika evokes an ancestor thanks it with blood offerings and invokes its favors The nierika may take different forms and fabrication may differ greatly a small round or square tablet with a hole in the center covered on one or both sides with a mixture of beeswax and pine resin into which threads of yarn are pressed when the image is not round it may be considered a resting mat for the ancestors or a prayer mat or itari Negrin states the elaborate interwoven nierika that Lumholtz called namma which is close to the pronunciation of Namkha from which originated the detailed and now prized yarn paintings of the commercial art world are now rarely if ever seen 4 Namma were generally rectangular or square in shape with yarn woven onto a grid of bamboo sticks These God s Eyes are also called by the Spanish term ojo de dios One understanding of the ojo de dios according to Harvey is of a wand the eye through which the eye of god will see the supplicant Harvey states that The cross of the ojo de dios is that of the legendary four directions earth fire water and air 5 See also editDreamcatcher Nazar amulet Namkha Witch ballNotes edit a b El Ojo de Dios Absolum org in Spanish Retrieved May 22 2019 Mager 2012 Instrucciones para hacer un Ojo de Dios huichol Mas de MX in Spanish July 4 2016 Retrieved May 22 2019 a b c d Negrin 2003 Harvey 1973 9 12 References editNoel Thomas J 1989 Colorado Catholicism Archived from the original on 2013 09 22 Retrieved 2013 03 31 Mager Lynn 2012 Traveling the Trail El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail U S National Park Service Retrieved 2013 03 31 Corelis Angela undated Huichol Indians their Art and Symbols accessed Sunday 7 January 2007 Hale Vincent 2001 Eye of God Ojo de Dios accessed Sunday January 7 2007 Lumholtz Carl S Symbolism of the Huichol Indians Volume III 1900 1907 Negrin Juan 2003 Nerika accessed Sunday 7 January 2007 Valadez Susana 1994 The Huichols A Culture in Transition Archived from the original on 2008 05 09 Retrieved 2007 01 07 Zelaya Jose 2005 Arte del Pueblo accessed Sunday January 7 2007 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to God s eyes Wixarika Research Center Ojo de Dios Huichol Simbolo de enlace con la energia del entorno Cultura10 in Spanish September 23 2018 El Ojo De Dios Huichol Un Amuleto De Proteccion y Cosmovision El que siembra cosecha in Spanish May 15 2014 Duran Angeline February 14 2018 What s A God s Eye Ancient Southwest Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title God 27s eye amp oldid 1177385459, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
