Who Are the Raràmuri?
Geographical Location
The Raramuri community is found in the mountainous region of the Sierra Madre Occidental in the state of Chuhuahua in northern Mexico. Some of he Raramuri inhabit a highly elevated mountain range where the surrounding peaks can be measured at an impressive 13,000 feet. Originally they occupied a large land area stretching across 28,000 square miles, very close in size to the state of West Virginia. Since the first European contact with the Raramuri, the land that belongs to them has sadly dwindled by half its original size. The climate in their region has recently experienced record breaking droughts causing a strain on agriculture and the losses to the Raramuri have been devastating. They rely heavily on rainfall to sustain their crops each year and with the drought they have seen, rainfall has been recorded to be as low as only 12 inches for the whole year. Coming from a highly elevated mountain range, the Raramuri can be exposed to freezing temperatures, while other tribes in the canyon bottoms have a very diverse climate. In these canyon bottoms conditions are warm and dry until the rainy season hits between the months of July through September. During the wet season, the climate in the canyon bottoms seems monsoon like with rainfall coming in abundance and thunderstorms to follow. Being that the Raramuri lack interaction with the outside world, their dependence on the environment and climate has forced them to live in poor conditions leading to poverty and famine.
The Raramuri culture
The customs of the Raramuri are very specific to their indigenous culture. They inhabit natural shelters in caves or cliff overhangs, sometimes building small cabins made of stone or wood that can be collected. The Raramuri have become accustomed to be able to run for extremely long distances. Often if they run from settlement to settlement these jaunts may reach distances of up to 200 miles. Ironically, neither men nor women wear footwear, socks or trousers. Many clothes for the Rarmuri include a white and blue dress like garment. These are often cut at the knee and worn with head bands often in the colors of red or white. Many women in the tribes are industrious making items of clothing for the members of the tribes to use. Any additional clothing, arts and crafts fabricated by these hard working women are sold or exchanged for American goods that will go to benefit the tribe. One interesting custom of the Raramuri tribe is that they do not cry or grieve when a member dies. At funerals where the dead are buried in stone tombs, many members pay their respects without tears only in fear of their deceased loved ones returning from the dead in spirit form.
Background History
A common name for these natives are the Tarahumara, but this term is a Spanish term meaning Raramauri. For the purpose of indigenizing and recognizing their rooted culture we refer to them as the Raramauri . The dominant language that is spoken is auto-Aztecan, which is closely related to Piman and Cahitian. According to archaeological evidence, the Raramuri have occupied the canyons for at least the past two thousand years. During the early 1600s the Raramuri were committed to missionaries due to the constant warfare from colonialization. This time the citizens saw early priests as "peace makers" who promote peace throughout the Spanish. It wasn't until 1616 when the intense European demand for land and mining would no longer be tolerated by the natives. This explosive rebellion was considered the largest ever recorded in the southwest during this time period. The up rising by religious visionary, Quautlata who called to drive out the Spaniards (Sheridan1998, 142). Fueled by the idea for fighting to retain their land, the rebellion lasted two years with over four hundred Spaniards and seven Jesuits assassinated. The fighting died down with missionaries dominance over the rebellion and the Raraumari people. It wasn't until the 1630s when a massive strike of silver was found in northern Santa Barbra. This attracted large groups of miners and merchants. The Raramuri people were taken up by labor gangs and were distributed through out the Spanish mines. This system of "repartimiento" only had the ability to take three to four percent of the community at a time. But as more Spaniards poured into the country, there was a increase of small pox, measles, and other illnesses, which caused a decline in the labor force and a demand for more workers. Absurd, from working conditions the Raraumari went through another rebellion and multiple out brakes during the years of 1648,1650,and 1652. From looking at these few examples of how the community reacted to colonialization, it is relevant to say that they strive to maintain culture sovereignty. Despite the power of the Spaniards, the Raraumari still continue to hold and practice their beliefs as of today.
Sources
Cynthia, Cynthia. "A People Apart." Tarahumara People - National Geographic Magazine. National Geogaphic Society, n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. <http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/tarahumara-people/gorney-text>
"Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination in Mexico." Cultural Survival. Cultural Survival, 26 Mar. 2010. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. <https://www.culturalsurvival.org/resources>
Sheridan, Thomas E., and Nancy J. Parezo. Paths of Life: American Indians of the Southwest and Northern Mexico. Tucson: U of Arizona, 1996. Print.
Tarahumara: Pillars of the World. Dir. Jack Kelly. Perf. Jack Kelly. YouTube. N.p., 1 Jan. 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzCZ_4ztDwM>.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RzoFZRcfxCU/UEZGAFpezqI/AAAAAAAAKaQ/cs6w59YfUdA/s1600/MEXICO-CHIHUAHUA.jpg
"Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination in Mexico." Cultural Survival. Cultural Survival, 26 Mar. 2010. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. <https://www.culturalsurvival.org/resources>
Sheridan, Thomas E., and Nancy J. Parezo. Paths of Life: American Indians of the Southwest and Northern Mexico. Tucson: U of Arizona, 1996. Print.
Tarahumara: Pillars of the World. Dir. Jack Kelly. Perf. Jack Kelly. YouTube. N.p., 1 Jan. 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzCZ_4ztDwM>.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RzoFZRcfxCU/UEZGAFpezqI/AAAAAAAAKaQ/cs6w59YfUdA/s1600/MEXICO-CHIHUAHUA.jpg