The Rarámuri or Tarahumara are a group of Indigenous people of the Americas living in the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. They are renowned for their form of prayer that involves running for extended periods of time. [1]
Tarahumara, Middle American Indians of Barranca de Cobre (“Copper Canyon”), southwestern Chihuahua state, in northern Mexico. Their language, which belongs to the Sonoran division of the Uto-Aztecan family, is most closely related to those of the Yaqui and Mayo.
Tarahumara religion combines Christian and traditional shamanistic beliefs. When the Conquistadors first encountered the Tarahumara in the 16th century they attempted to convert them to Christianity.
The Tarahumara people, known for their remarkable endurance running abilities and rich cultural heritage, inhabit the Sierra Tarahumara region of northern Mexico, specifically in the state of Chihuahua.
Sixty percent of the Tarahumara in Chihuahua live in the mountains and canyons of the Sierra Madre Occidental, and the remainder around urban centers outside the sierra. The Rarámuri language, of which there are three dialects, belongs to the Uto-Aztecan Language Family.
Tarahumara history is interesting and important, but the Tarahumara Indians are still here today, too, and we try to feature modern writers as well as traditional folklore, contemporary art as well as museum pieces, and issues and struggles of today as well as the tragedies of yesterday.
There where the Sierra Madre Occidental becomes rough and uneven, the Tarahumaras, who call themselves Raramuri (Light Feet), live. They had arrived there seeking refuge after the arrival of the Spanish. The most important activity among them is growing corn and bean and some raise cattle.