Maria Rogal writes: This project began as a conversation over lunch at Sarah’s house in Guadalajara, in July 2004, on the Saturday after the International Association for Intercultural Communication Studies Conference. I had come to Guadalajara with my colleague Dr. Melanie Davenport, an art educator who was then at the University of Florida and now at Georgia State University, who is interested in intercultural education. During the conference, Melanie introduced me to Sarah, knowing that we had common research interests. We agreed to work on this project in with the Graphic Design students and another with the Art Education students at the University of Florida. In order to do this, we needed to bring Sarah over to share her research and work with the students.

Background Our communication objective was to visually represent the Wixárika (Huichol) concept of time, heretofore an oral tradition, based on the traditions of San Miguel Huaixtita. However, the underlying conceptual framework was intercultural communication – one that of the project dictated that our intention was to situate both the Wixárika and western cultural conceptions of time on the same plane, thereby equalizing their positions and creating a mutual understanding of different cultural belief systems. An added benefit was to further explore how we, as graphic designers in the United States, can communicate with and for others and to position one’s self in an intercultural framework–one that tries to break away the hierarchies and lends itself to a humanistic and inclusive approach. To begin the design phase, Sarah Corona visited the Graphic Design program at the University of Florida to explain the major issues and concepts. After research and discussion, we developed protoypes of different ways to visually represent the Wixárika calendar. We learned that Wixárikas (Huicholes) must know the Mexican calendar and concepts of time in order to live and work in urban México, yet most Mexicans know very little about what guides the Wixárika calendar. These misunderstood cultural values and belief systems create tension and division. In this sense, they are conceived of as a strange or exotic “other.” simply because their traditions are undocumented. Dr. Corona has worked with the San Miguel community and through interviews has established that the their concept of time is not marked by precise dates and times as we know them but is based on natural events that are rooted in their agricultural tradition. It is not an understatement to say that their survival was for centuries dependent on their ability to read and make sense of natural signs such as the arrival of a bird, the beginning of a rain, or the blossoming of a flower.

Our Fundamental Questions How can we ethically and responsibly represent Huichol concepts? AND How can we use our design skills to engage and speak to the “other”?
The concepts guiding our project development included: Reciprocal / Didactic / Ethical / Comparative / Engaging
The Target Audiences Mexican and Huichol students (13–18) / Teachers and professors / Huichol families

With this project, we situate both cultural conceptions of time on the same plane, thereby equalizing their positions. Specifically, we considered how to use communication and design methodologies to teach Mexican, including Huichol, youth concepts central to the Huichol community (“others” in this region), and how US North Americans can ethically and responsibly represent Huichol concepts in Mexico. Additionally, the international component of this project required students, most who had never been to Mexico, to think outside the box in terms of representation, language, economic and cultural disparities, and "otherness." For the students, it was the opportunity to expand their research abilities and stretch their design thinking – putting research into practice through this collaboration.

Calendar designers
Avery Smith / BFA 2006, Graphic Design, University of Florida / asmith3.com
Cassie McDaniel / BFA 2006, Graphic Design, University of Florida / cassiemcdaniel.com.
Maria Rogal / Associate Professor of Graphic Design, University of Florida / mariarogal.com.

Calendar editorial writing
Sarah Corona Berkin / Universidad de Guadalajara (Spanish, Spanish to English)
Faculty of the Escuela ... (Wixaritari, Wixaritari to Spanish)
Maria Rogal and Cassie McDaniel (Spanish to English, English)

Project support at UF
Ligia Carvallo / Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Florida Southern College
Melanie Davenport / Associate Professor of Art Education, Georgia State University

Website Design & Production / Maria Rogal / Ligia Carvallo / Cassie McDaniel