Tarahumara Indians

The Barranca del Cobre, extending over 60,000sq.km/23,160sq.mi mainly in Chihuahua State, is the domain of the 50,000 Tarahumara Indians, or Rarámuri ("runners") as they call themselves. They belong to the large Uto-Aztecan group of languages and are most closely related to the Pima. Generally speaking little is known about their history apart from the fact that, prior to the Conquest, they were spread over large parts of Chihuahua. Centuries of bitter conflict with Whites and mestizos, continuing even into the 20th c., drove them to take refuge in the inaccessible Sierra Madre Occidental. Here they have to some extent been able to preserve their identity and independence. The first modern European explorer to visit the Barrancas was the Norwegian Carl Lumholtz in about 1900. He began researching into the people and their culture. In addition to Bocoyna, Carichic, Guazápares and Guanacevi are also Tarahumara villages. Each community elects a council of three responsible for its administration. In winter many of the Indians move to the shelter of caves in the canyon bottoms. The men, who grow their hair long, wear a white or red headband, a simple poncho and a form of loincloth. The women dress in a sack-like tunic and full woollen skirt secured by a belt.

As well as hunting, the menfolk engage in a little farming and cattle rearing. Craftwork ranges from clay censers, wickerwork, and wooden masks depicting men or animals to handwoven belts and wool blankets.

Although notionally the vast majority of Tarahumara are Christian, in practice the old Indian religion retains its hold. The Sun and the Moon are the principal deities. Like the Huicholes the Tarahumara hold the peyoti cactus sacred, enjoyment of its intoxicating effect being the privilege of elders and medicine men. The souls of the dead are believed to return with the power to transform humans into animals; whenever someone dies a secret ceremony is held to placate their soul. Christian festivals celebrated by the Tarahumara include Holy Week, Corpus Christi, All Saints and Christmas. Their best known tribal dances are the "Moors and Christians", "Matachines" and the Peyote dance. Running races held every year are a major event in the Tarahumara calendar. Individual races can take several days, covering distances of more than 200km/125mi. The contestants often push a wooden ball ahead of them with their foot.