The Rarámuri people (also known as Tarahumara by non-Rarámuri) are an indigenous group living in the Sierra Tarahumara, a part of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range that is located in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. This region of breathtaking high sierras and deep canyons boasts an exceptional ecological diversity, and is home to some of the most resilient indigenous societies in the North American continent.

The Rarámuri, numbering about 70,000, live mostly in isolated settlements and small villages scattered across the Sierra Tarahumara. They speak a distinct language (belonging to the Uto-Aztecan language family) and have maintained a strong identity and vibrant cultural traditions through over five centuries of contact with the now prevailing Spanish-speaking population. They are subsistence farmers, and have traditionally also relied extensively on a variety of wild plant and animal species for food, medicine, and other basic needs. However, their long-term adaptation to this rugged region and their ability to sustain their livelihoods and way of life—and ultimately to retain their cultural and linguistic identity—have been severely threatened by ever more rapid environmental, social, and economic changes brought about by large-scale economic activities in the region: from mining to logging to ranching to mass tourism, and now increasingly the drug trade, all of which have been facilitated by extensive road development and the building of other major infrastructure.

These activities have led to a host of problems that deeply affect Rarámuri communities: massive deforestation accompanied by the loss of forest plant and animal species; overgrazing; soil erosion with consequent loss of water resources; frequent droughts and flash floods; water pollution; decrease of arable lands and diminished soil quality and fertility, resulting in lower crop yields and periodic crop failures; displacement from traditional lands; out-migration, especially of the younger generations, due to inability to make a living in the communities; induced social and cultural change; social dislocation and loss of social cohesion; erosion of intergenerational transmission of values, beliefs, knowledge, practices and language; and a variety of health and nutritional issues. Climate change, which is expected to have a major effect in this region, is now adding to these woes.

Over many decades, the Rarámuri have valiantly stood up to these difficult circumstances, seeking to continue to live and develop according to their own worldview and way of life. But the scale and the pace of change are becoming larger and faster than their ability to cope. Many elders and other community members are concerned about the Rarámuri’s future as a distinct people if these negative circumstances cannot be reversed. They see the need to take action, and some of them recognize that, in addition to their own efforts, they can potentially benefit from working with outsiders who can provide needed expertise and other resources.

©1998 National Geographic Society

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