Xavier Quijas Yxayotl was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco of Huichol heritage (his indigenous name, "Yxayotl," is Nahuatl for "tears"). Originally an artist, in the 1970’s he left city life and moved to the mountains of Jalisco and Nayarit, Mexico to live with his Huichol relatives and the Tepehuanes people. There Xavier studied and played pre-Columbian instruments, participating in ceremonies and rituals. He developed a passion for making museum quality indigenous instruments – Mayan and Aztec drums and flutes, turtle shell drums, rainsticks, log drums, rattles, gourds. In the 1980's he moved to Los Angeles where he founded "America Indigena", a performance group which specializes in the music, instruments and dances of native Mexico. Crossroads, a collaboration with Native American flutist Robert Tree Cody, was a finalist in numerous categories at the 2001 Native American Music Awards.