Way of life of Tarahumara Tribe

In the Northeast of Mexico lives a tribe called Tarahumara, also they are known like raramuri, that means "light feet" since they move running to everywhere.

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The Tarahumara Indians live in northwest Mexico. The family is very important to them because it’s the basic social unit that they depend on for their well-being, such as it is. They are strong people, accustomed to live with very little, and they value people more than things.

The most experienced man in the village is the siríame, or chief. He is elected by the public raising of hands. Every Sunday he gives a public talk and the people come to him to solve community problems.

They entrust their children with responsibilities from a very early age; they never scold them and they teach them to make decisions for themselves.

They have corn and a few animals. Scarcity leads to illness, but despite his appearance this boy is being treated, says the village doctor, an affable man named Cherokee. The Raramuri marry very young, from the age of sixteen. The women call all their children by the same name: Dánala. 

Raramuri means “those with light feet”. They have always liked to run, and they still do; that’s why the men play rarajipo. To play this game they kick a small ball with the top of their feet as they run along a course.
They kick a ball called the komakali forcefully with the tops of their feet. Each team supports its favourite player. They follow him throughout the race, providing water, food and encouragement.
The teams bet, and the winner is whoever makes it to the finish line, which may be 60 to 120 miles from the start, but that’s no big deal for these Indians with light feet…

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