"A displaced family charts a path forward in this testament to the power of perseverance and the many forms resistance can take. The Raraamuri people of Chihuahua, Mexico, make up one of the largest Indigenous tribes of North America. Renowned for maintaining their language and cultural traditions in the face of colonization, they have weathered numerous hardships-climate disaster, poverty, cultural erasure-that have only worsened during the twenty-first century. Based on more than a decade of oral history and participatory field work, Out of the Sierra paints a vivid and vital portrait of Raraamuri displacement. When drought leaves the Gutiaerrez family with nothing to eat, they are faced with the choice many Raraamuris must make: remain and hope for rain and aid, or leave their sacred homeland behind. Luis, Martina, and their children choose to journey from their home in the Sierra Madre mountains toward a new and uncertain future in a government-funded Indigenous settlement. Victoria Blanco considers Indigenous identity with tenderness and intelligence, demanding recognition and justice for the Raraamuri people as they resist assimilation and uphold traditional knowledge in the face of broken systems. In a narrative of unprecedented access and intimacy, Out of the Sierra offers a groundbreaking testimony to human resilience and the power of community"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.