Use, conservation, and reproduction of Rothschildia cincta cincta and Antheraea montezuma from and educational and biocultural approach in the Sierra Tarahumara.

Abstract

The pascola dance in the Sierra Tarahumara constitutes a central element of the worldview of the Indigenous peoples who inhabit this territory. Within the framework of traditional ceremonies and festivities, dancers wear rattles on their ankles known as chayehuares or tenábaris, primarily made from the cocoons of the four mirrors moth (Rothschildia cincta cincta). However, the scarcity and overexploitation associated with the collection of these cocoons have led to the species being classified as threatened under NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010. In response to this situation, artisans and dancers have sought alternative sources of cocoons for the manufacture of these rattles. A notable case is that of the Rarámuri and Warijó peoples, who have incorporated the use of cocoons from Antheraea montezuma, representing the first documented record of this species being used in the manufacture of these instruments. This research presents the results obtained through semi-structured interviews and participant observation conducted during various traditional ceremonies of the Rarámuri and Warijö peoples between 2017 and 2024 in different communities within the municipalities of Batopilas, Urique, Guazapares, and Chínipas de Almada, in the state of Chihuahua. The study also includes the establishment of butterfly breeding facilities for the conservation and reproduction of both species, as well as the dissemination of the results in upper secondary educational institutions in the region in order to promote the conservation of these species.