A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY

The Sierra Tarahumara of Northern México is named for the people who have lived there for centuries. The Tarahumara to outsiders, in their own language they are the Rarámuri, or foot runners.The largest indigenous group north of Mexico City with the exception of the Navaho, they are also the least affected by the outside world -- perhaps because they can run so fast, so tirelessly far. For centuries they have run from countless invaders who would reshape their culture, "civilize" their uncommon view of the world they live in, also known as Las Barrancas del Cobre or Copper Canyon.

Here, three rivers have cut four massive gorges to create a system of 20 interconnecting canyons dwarfing the Grand Canyon of Arizona and in places more than 6,000 feet deep. Within this immense landscape the Rarámuri live much like their ancestors, in modified caves and simple stone and timber dwellings, growing their crops and herding their goats. Many are still nomadic, living in the high country from April to October and wintering in the warmth and lushness of the barrancas below.

On numerous expeditions with the insightful guidance and invaluable support of Sierra Tarahumara guide Santiago James Barnaby, I have traveled by foot and horseback to explore and photograph the many layered world that exists here. I have come to love and respect the Rarámuri people who embrace their world of few material rewards and still cling to a life rich in tradition, family and sharing. On countless occasions I have been treated with kindness and generosity by those who have very little and owe me nothing. Their acceptance and patience with me and my photographic endeavors has been remarkable.

To be in the Sierra Tarahumara is to walk back in time, to witness an ancient culture still surviving within an overwhelming and unparalelled landscape, in places bountiful and mothering and in places harsh, and now more than ever, threatened by forces from within and without.

Exploitation of resources and the environment by outsiders is speeding up and drug violence is on the rise. Sadly, traditions and old ways are disappearing. It is my hope that these images will convey some impression of this fragile world and possibly help to preserve in time the magic that exists here. This magic inhabits every soul, every rock, every shadow of this enchanted, majestic land.