Tarahumara run rarájiparis because it is a deeply spiritual ceremony that they consider a powerful form of prayer.6 Many Tarahumara I have interviewed say that the ball-game race makes them feel closer to the Creator. To them, chasing that unpredictable ball for mile upon mile is a sacred metaphor for the journey of life, and it induces a spiritual trancelike state. It is also an important communal event that brings money and prestige.
