Purépecha people

The Purepecha ( Tarascan or P'urhépecha also ) are an indigenous people in Mexico, which includes about 203,000 members, making it one of the larger indigenous peoples of North America.

Term

Demarcation

The terms and Purepecha Tarascan are sometimes used interchangeably. However, the people referred to themselves as Purepecha, Tarascan while is the name given by the Spanish conquerors have used for the people. Therefore used increasingly the word Purepecha, to emphasize the freedom and independence of the people. For the language of the Purepecha, however, the word Tarasco has become the norm. The Tarasco is spoken only by the Purepecha.

Spellings

The ancient Purepecha had no writing, an original spelling of the word does not exist, therefore. From the Spanish chroniclers was later attempted to transfer the sound sequence as faithfully as possible to the characters. Therefore, there are several spellings: An alternate spelling to Purepecha is P'urhépecha.

Dissemination

Today you can find the people of the Purepecha especially in the state of Michoacan.

History

The Purepecha are one of the few peoples whose territory could never conquer the Aztecs. The former capital was Tzintzuntzan. When the Spanish conquerors arrived by Cristóbal de Olid in 1525 after Michoacan, the leader of the Purepecha, Tangaxuan II yielded without a fight. 1530 began Nuño de Guzmán plunder the country and murdered Tangaxuan II Then fled large parts of the Purepecha in the mountains.