The tribe is facing the destruction of the forests. The government is plowing and making roads to get logging equipment into the canyons. This causes erosion and soil depletion which ruins the grazing and crop growing land of the Tarahumara's. The government also wants to construct pulp and paper mills and modernize the one's already in use. Some changes in recent years have put some of the Indians in blue jeans and wearing Mexican straw hats instead of the traditional headbands.
Men work for Mexican employers such as in logging or mining.
Making these superficial changes which do not represent cultural changes. The Tarahumara Indians are a dying breed like the Native Americans were. Unless the running abilities of this tribe can somehow help their culture from the continual modernization, the Tarahumara Indians will become the Native Americans of Mexico. This tribe truly defines the meaning of the word endurance. It has been over decades and the tribe still tries to live simple and continue with their cultural upbringing.