TARAHUMARA INDIANS IN MEXICO

THE TARAHUMARA IS AN UTO-AZTECAN SPEAKING GROUP OF OVER 60,000. THEY LIVE IN CHIHUAHUA AND ALONG THE SIERRA MADRES MOUNTAINS. THEY HAVE SEVERAL DIALECTS.
THEY HAVE LIVED HERE FOR OVER 2000 YEARS. BY 1600 THE SPANISH CONTACTED THEM AND THE TEPEHUAN. THE SPANISH NOTICED THEIR COUNTRY HAD HAD RICH DEPOSITS OF GOLD AND SILVER. THESE FOLKS BROUGHT DISEASES THAT DECIMATED THE LOCAL INDIANS. THEY SERVED AS FORCED AND FREE LABORERS. BY 1639 THEY ADOPTED LIVESTOCK AND AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUES. MOST OF THEM DID NOT BECOME CATHOLIC. DURING THE 17TH CENTURY THEY HAD SEVERAL REVOLTS.THE TARAHUMARA RAIDED THE SPANISH VILLAGES AND MOVED INTO INACCESSIBLE AREAS. SINCE LATE 1800'S MINING, AGRICULTURE,AND LUMBERING HAVE DISPLACED THIS TRIBE FROM THE SIERRAS. INTERMARRIAGE BETWEEN VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS IS RARE. MANY MARRIAGES ARE PREARRANGED. HOUSEHOLDS HAVE NUCLEAR FAMILIES AND EXTEND TO INCLUDE RELATIVES OF EITHER SPOUSE. THEY SHARE FOOD AND WORK.

THEY BELIEVE EACH STAR IN THE SKY IS ONE OF THEIR TRIBE'S SOUL - MEN HAVE 3 AND WOMEN HAVE 4. RESIDENT PRIESTS REVEAL THIS. THEY CALL THEMSELVES "RARAMURI" THEY RETREATED 500 YEARS AGO FROM THE SPANISH. THESE TRIBES LIVE LONG DISTANCES FROM EACH OTHER IN SMALL HOMES OR CAVES. THEY BREW AN ALCOHOL FROM CORN. THEIR FIELDS ARE PLOWED BY HAND AND THEY GROW - CORN, BEANS, SQUASH. THEY USE THIS DRINK DURING CELEBRATIONS AND PASS IT IN GOURDS. THEN SLEEP IT OFF. THEY RAISE CATTLE,SHEEP, AND GOATS.

THEY ARE ENDURANCE RUNNERS, HAVING LIVED ON MOUNTAIN PATHS FOR GENERATIONS. THEIR NAME MEANS FOOTRUNNER. THEY BEAT AMERICAN ULTRA RUNNERS. THEY CAN RUN 120 MILES IN 2 DAYS! THEY REGARD WORK AS A NECESSITY FOR SURVIVAL. THEY HAVE HIGH VALUE FOR SPIRITUAL OBLIGATIONS. THEY BARTER FOR FOOD. THEY ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST GROUPS IN MEXICO. THEY LIKE JAPANESE INSTANT NOODLES AND COKE.. THE MAJORITY LIVE IN THE COPPER CANYON IN ISOLATION, EXCEPT FOR THE TOURIST TRAIN THAT WINDS ITS WAY THROUGH THIS CANYON..THERE ARE DOZENS OF CANYONS LIKE THIS ONE IN THE SIERRA MADRE. I MET THIS GROUP PLAYING NATIVE INSTRUMENTS WHEN I TOOK THE TRAIN FROM CHIHUAHUA TO LOS MOCHIS. SOME ARE DEEPER THAN THE GRAND CANYON. THE NARCO INDUSTRY IS INCREASING IN THESE CANYONS FOR MARIJUANA AND OPIUM CULTIVATION! THE GOVERNMENT TRIES TO BRING THE ROADS CLOSER TO SCHOOLS AND BOOKS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.THE TRAIN BRINGS TEQUILA, GUNS AND JUNK FOOD.. THEIR MEN WEAR HEADBANDS AND LOIN COVERINGS EVEN WHEN ITS FREEZING! MANY WEAR BLUE JEANS AND COWBOY HATS. THEIR WOMEN WEAR HEAD SCARVES AND BILLOWT SKIRTS, BUT SOME WEAR BLUE JEANS.

OFFICIALS IN CHIHUAHUA ARE COURTING INVESTORS FOR BUNGY JUMPING, HOTELS AND AN INDIAN VILLAGE FOR THE DISPLAY OF CEREMONIES AND RITUALS. THIS VILLAGE IS PLANNED TO BE BUILT ALONG THE RAILWAY. THE WOMEN AND GIRLS SELL BASKETS, BRACELETS AND WEAVINGS TO THE TOURISTS. THIS PLAN IS CONTROVERSIAL. THEY ONE HOTEL, OWNED BY A STATE TOURISM DIRECTOR, DUMPED SEWAGE INTO THE CANYON - A SENSITIVE PROBLEM FOR THE ECOLOGY.

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