Maestro Xavier Quijas Yxayotl Walks On 

 

Xavier Quijas Yxayotl, the world’s preeminent indigenous composer and musician of prehispanic Aztec & Mayan music, has passed away due to complications from surgery. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico and of Huichol heritage, Xavier’s indigenous name, pronounced (e-shy-oat) ‘Yxayotl’ is Nahuatl for ‘tears’. 

Xavier Quijas Yxayotl moved to the mountains of Jalisco and Nayarit, Mexico to live with his Huichol relatives and the Tepehuane people in the 70’s.  There, he studied and learned to play pre-Columbian instruments while participating in ceremonies and rituals.  The knowledge he acquired enabled him to make museum quality instruments, such as, Mayan and Aztec drums, flutes, turtle shell drums, rainsticks, log drums, rattles, and gourds.  Yxayotl spent most of his life constructing and playing these instruments and performing all over the world.   

In 2004, he performed at the opening ceremony for the Nobel Peace Prize event in Rome giving blessings to the Dalai Lama, Michael Gorbachev and Jimmy Carter.  He also performed at the United Nations Gala in New York City in 2005.  In 2006, Mel Gibson purchased Yxayotl’s clay flutes to be used in the soundtrack for the movie ‘Apocalypto”. Andre 3000 did a traditional flute apprenticeship under master flutemaker Xavier.  His extensive knowledge and wisdom in music and the ways of the ancient Americas, also led him to consult the History Channel.  His music can be found on Amazon, Pandora and Spotify and on YouTube where he has over one million and half subscribers. 

Xavier was honored to have had six of his seven CD releases nominated by the Native American Music Awards - two of them for Flutist of the Year. He performed at the Fifth Annual Native American Music Awards along with the international dance group, “Call For Peace”. 

One of the nominated recordings was the landmark album entitled, Crossroads, which he collaborated with award winning artist Robert Tree Cody on Canyon Records. For the first time ever, the music of the native people of the Great Plains were recorded with the ancient music of Mexico into 12 amazing songs. Crossroads was a colorful blend of indigenous Native American, Mayan and Aztec flutes pulsing drums and ancient chants. 

 A visionary, Xavier Quijas Yxayotl, will be remembered as "The Maestro," and the foremost global authority on traditional Mayan and Aztec instruments. His expertly crafted flutes, Death Whistles, and ocarinas, made according to ancient manuscripts, will remain unmatched. He leaves behind a legacy in the way of ancient Mesoamerican music. Despite all his enormous accomplishments and an unfillable void his passing creates,  this gentle, kind, generous and humble man  will be greatly missed.