Makuráwe

Makuráwe is the name used by the Guarijío people of the mountains of Sonora. Their language is related to those of neighbouring Rarámuri and Mayo communities, and their homeland spans valleys and uplands of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Maize cultivation formed an important part of their livelihood alongside the use of the surrounding forests and river country.

Spanish missions and mining settlements reached the region in the seventeenth century. Conflict and displacement helped divide Guarijío communities between the mountain country of Sonora and Chihuahua. After the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, Franciscans took over mission work, while mining and ranching expanded around Álamos. Makuráwe families remained in more isolated parts of their homeland, maintaining a distinct language and community life.