Vulnerability, Virtue, and Flourishing in the Rarámuri-pagótuame

Abstract

This article examines the concept of human flourishing (Aristotelian εὐδαιμονία) through a case study of the indigenous-religious community of the Rarámuri-pagótuame, located in the Sierra Tarahumara, Northwestern Mexico. The objective is to present a concrete model where communal worldview, the practice of social virtues, and a deep-rooted religious sense converge to provide the foundations for individual well-being in contexts of high vulnerability. The theoretical analysis is grounded in the framework of Alasdair MacIntyre's virtue ethics, seeking to anchor the concept of flourishing in specific social practices. The focus is placed on the kórima, a practice of reciprocity that is established as a central ethical-religious axis. Contrary to the simplified notion of almsgiving, it is argued that kórima intrinsically articulates the exercise of virtue, indigenous identity, and religiosity. The findings suggest that religious and traditional communities possess valuable models of human flourishing that prioritize interdependence and social virtue over individualism, offering a relevant framework for contemporary research on community well-being.