Raramuri Weavers
Creel, Chihuahua Mexico
Photo by Jennifer Bjarnason November 2018
When the Spanish arrived in Barrancas del Cobre, they misinterpreted the name of the local people thus named them, their language and territory Tarahumara. The indigenous people had little way to correct this error, given language barriers, isolation and the fact that they could never have imagined how influential published articles and books would be in the world outside of their home. For hundreds of years, the world has continued to use the Spanish descriptor seen in books, but the name the Tarahumara call themselves is Raramuri. Loosely translated as "light-footed," or "they who walk well," these are the ambitious indigenous athletes who are celebrated for their long-distance running.
The Raramuri territory is expansive and difficult to navigate, as some live in the Sierra, while others live in the canyon base. In pre-colonial times, this group would have moved between the two regions, based on climate, hunting and gathering. The Sierra turns cold during the winter, spending substantial time under snow, while the canyons are always a subtropical climate because of the low altitude. As with all indigenous groups who faced colonization, the Raramuri were forced away from their traditional lifestyle and encouraged into towns, which proved unsuccessful. Today, most Raramuri families continue to reside in single-family dwellings on communal farms, with many living in caves that have been transformed into homes.
Laundry Day
Near Creel, Chihuahua Mexico
Photo by Jennifer Bjarnason November 2018
The striking colours worn by local Raramuri women are a vibrant splash of paint against the dreary, winter landscape. It was the Jesuits who implored local Raramuri women to cover their bodies, and though the Raramuri were not easily colonized or converted by Christianity, they responded by creating a unique style of clothing made from fabrics that arrived from Spain. The women indigenized their dresses with small triangular shapes sewn in rows around seams and sleeves, using colourful and patterned cotton fabrics. The above-ankle hems of their full skirts are designed for dance, and require a lot of gathered fabric. Most of these dresses cost the women around $400 MXN to make, which is more than most earn in a month, yet when you visit this region, you will be amazed by the stunning colours and beautiful quality of their garments. Today, these dresses act as a form of resistance among Raramuri women whose ancestors refused to fully conform to Spanish demands, and who continue to refuse conformity under the pressures of modern Mexican society.
Raramuri women wear these dresses for running marathons and have continued to resist assimilation even in the cities, which sometimes costs them employment opportunities if a formal uniform is required. Due to difficulty obtaining employment, many Raramuri women have turned to hand sewing tortilla warmers, handmade dolls, adorable purses, loom-woven belts and blankets and of course, their famous pine needle baskets, to sell to tourists for extra income. Far from the canyons, in the town of El Oasis, Raramuri women have started a sewing collective to help their local women maintain this tradition, to teach their daughters, and most importantly to create enough of an economy from their sewing, that the younger generations will continue to resist assimilation through a prideful economy.
I have searched long and hard to learn about the significance of triangles, and have found reference to triangular shaped shell jewelry, but nothing to explain their significance. After the arrival of the Jesuits, many Raramuri adopted some aspects of Christianity, including a concept that Hell and Heaven consist of three layers. Perhaps this is what these triangles represent, but if anyone knows, please drop me a message!
Raramuri Clothing Shop
Creel, Chihuahua Mexico
Photo by Jennifer Bjarnason November 2018
American author Christopher MacDougall wrote Born to Run in 2009, which fast became a bestseller. Though criticized for romanticizing Raramuri culture, this book spent over four months on the New York Times Best Seller list and inspired a lot of people to learn about the Raramuri and even attend their marathons.
Running is a way of life among the Raramuri, whose territory is too rugged for horseback or the easy construction of roads. As few Raramuri in the canyons own vehicles, they make use of running to traverse the vast distances sometimes required to reach a store, or even a neighbours farm. When I was on my way to Batopilas, I remember looking up the hill to see a sure-footed man descending the side of a steep cliff as though he was walking on solid ground. We were in the middle of nowhere, so it seemed, with no houses or farms in sight, but since then I have learned that the distance between neighbours can be as much as 5 miles. Though this man had no bow, arrow or gun, it's also possible that he was hunting.
Beautiful and Vibrant is Raramuri
Cusarare Waterfall, Chihuahua Mexico
Photo by Jennifer Bjarnason November 2018
Though the Raramuri make use of the bow and arrow, they are famed for catching their wild prey without the use of weaponry, using a concept called persistence hunting. Instead, they chase animals such as deer and wild turkeys until the animal becomes exhausted. Running has also been used to settle disputes, and is incorporated into their games. For some Raramuri, the purpose of running is so tied to their way of life, they have been known to reject prize money for winning marathons.
In 2017, Maria Lorena Ramírez Hernandez rose to fame after winning the Cerro Rojo UltraTrail in Puebla, Mexico wearing her huarache shoes and long, beautiful dress. Following this victory, Ramirez was the first Raramuri woman to race in the 97 KM Ultra Category Tenerife Bluetrail race in Spain. Unfortunately, she injured her ankle and was unable to finish the race. Since then, Ramirez has continued to win marathons and was the subject of Netflix documentary Lorena, Light-Footed Woman before going on to make the front cover of Vogue magazine.
We will be in this region during our Semana Santa exploration of the Copper Canyon from April 11-22, 2025. Please contact us if you would like more information!
Thanks to those of you who have supported my writing and research through your donations. A little adds up to a lot, and helps cover my time so I can keep publishing these articles. If there's a subject you'd like to see covered, please email me! If you would like to make a small donation of $20 Pesos (Approximately $1.20 US), please click here: DONATE
Maria Lorena Ramirez
Vogue Magazine 2017
REFERENCES
"Culture and History of the Tarahumara." Milwaukee Public Museum, www.mpm.edu/research-collections/anthropology/online-collections-research/tarahumara/culture-and-history.
Corless, Ian. "Lorena - The Light-Footed Woman." Ian Corless, 1 Dec. 2019, iancorless.org/2019/12/01/lorena-light-footed-woman/.
"María Lorena Ramírez." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 July 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/María_Lorena_Ramírez
"Rarámuri Dresses: The Clothes of the Tarahumara People." The New York Times, 25 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/25/style/raramuri-tarahumara-dresses-mexico.html.
"Tarahumara." Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/Tarahumara.
"Voice Woven into My Sister's Clothes." COE Arts Center Blog, www.coeartscenter.org/blog/voicewovenintomysistersclothes.
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