Raramuri

The Raramuri, whom the Spanish named Tarahumara, are the Uto-Aztecan people of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Chihuahua, around the Copper Canyon. Probably descended from the Mogollon culture, they withdrew into the high sierras when Spaniards opened mines on their land in the early seventeenth century.

The Jesuit Juan Fonte founded the San Pablo Balleza mission before the Tepehuan revolt of 1616 killed him. The Parral silver strike of 1631 drew settlers and slavers. The Raramuri rose in 1648 and destroyed the San Francisco de Borja mission; lowlanders accepted baptism while highlanders fought under leaders such as Teporaca, executed in 1690.

The wars of 1696 to 1698 ended in defeat, and the Jesuit expulsion of 1767 handed their failing missions to the Franciscans. The Raramuri kept their language and tradition of endurance running across hundreds of kilometres of mountain trails.