Posted on 13 October 2025:
Kauyumari at Burning Man 2025: A Sacred Sculpture Honoring Wixárika Tradition in Mexico
At Burning Man 2025, a breathtaking 6.5-meter sculpture of the blue deer—Kauyumari—stood as a symbol of spirit and resilience.
Designed by renowned Internationally acclaimed artist Leyla Brashka and hand-embellished by 18 Indigenous Wixárika artists, its bead and yarn patterns echoed sacred stories and peyote rituals. The peyote is a tiny, thorn-less cactus that grows quietly in the sun-drenched deserts and rocky limestone lands of northern Mexico and southern Texas.
More than an artwork, it became a ceremonial space for reflection and unity. As the dust settles, plans are unfolding to return this powerful tribute to Mexico, where it may live on as a permanent cultural sanctuary for the Wixárika people.
Kauyumari Ceremonial Center: Honoring Mexico’s Sacred Blue Deer
The Kauyumari Ceremonial Center is a living tapestry of community and creativity, shaped by the hands and hearts of 50 artists and artisans from Mezquitic, Jalisco, Torreón and Coahuila. Through collective workshops, over 150 people came together—sharing stories, skills, and spirit to build something truly sacred.
The Kauyumari Ceremonial Center is a sacred tribute to the Wixárika people of Mexico and their deep connection to the peyote plant and the spirit of the blue deer.
Rising from the heart of the Wirikuta Desert, this handcrafted sculpture is more than art—it’s a space for ceremony, healing and ancestral remembrance. Every bead and pattern carries the breath of tradition, woven with love and reverence by the Wixárika community. It stands as a symbol of resilience, inviting all who gather to reconnect with nature, spirit and story.
“Kauyumari is not just a sculpture—it’s a prayer in form, a bridge between worlds. Every thread, every bead carries the breath of the desert and the wisdom of the Wixárika ancestors.”
“Kauyumari carries the breath of the desert and the heartbeat of tradition. This is not just sculpture—it’s ceremony, memory and medicine woven into form.”—Leyla Brashka
The Kauyumari sculpture stands tall as a ceremonial center—an offering to the sacred traditions of the Wixárika people. Created in deep collaboration with the community, it honors their cosmogony, rituals and the healing wisdom rooted in the Wirikuta Desert.
For artist Leyla Brashka, this project is personal and spiritual—a journey that began ten years ago after her father’s passing, when peyote gently guided her through grief and transformation.
Kauyumari is not just art; it’s a living prayer, a bridge between cultures, and a call to reconnect with the rhythms of Mother Earth.
“This sculpture is my way of saying thank you—to the desert, to the medicine and to the people who carry its light. It’s a space for healing, remembering and returning to what truly matters.”
“We didn’t build a monument. We built a moment—for everyone to feel, remember and belong.”—Leyla Brashka
Last December, Mexican artist Leyla Brashka joined sculptor Saravana in Pondicherry for her first Art Awareness Project during her residency at Tasmai. Together, they crafted a towering Drishti Mukham—a symbolic guardian for the ocean.
In 2015, with the Pondy community’s support, Promenade Beach was cleaned, and reclaimed materials were transformed into the “Ocean Universal Ward.”
Leyla Brashka has spent over a decade creating across mediums, with a special love for large-scale sculptures.
Kauyumari: A Sacred Offering to Earth, Spirit and Memory
