I’m not an Indian, I am a Tarahumara: Images and Narratives by the Rarámuri in Ciudad Juárez

Since the foundation of the Mexican nation, the government and mass media have portrayed the Rarámuri as isolated from civilization. However, for the Rarámuri in the Sierra Tarahumara, a life of isolation away from major cities is not part of their ethnic identity. Rather, it is their predilection for wandering the mountains on foot that identifies them as an ethnic group and connects them to their ancestors and worldview. Given this defining characteristic, how do the Rarámuri who tread the asphalt trails of Ciudad Juárez (re)construct their ethnic identity? I use feminist ethnography to discern interethnic relationships between Rarámuri and chabochi (a Rarámuri word meaning “sons of the devil” or simply “non-Indigenous”) in Ciudad Juarez. The use of narratives based on pictures of the city allows the Rarámuri to reflect on their life experiences in Ciudad Juárez. This study finds that experiences of discrimination increase in downtown Ciudad Juárez. However, living in Colonia Tarahumara or Kilómetro 30 and belonging to the artisan community helps them mitigate the second ethnicization and reconstruct their ethnic identity by creating strong bonds of solidarity and pride through community work.