Overview
- Pireris, musicians and community representatives gathered in Cherán on November 9 and issued a public call for authorities to withdraw the pirekua from UNESCO’s Representative List.
- Their collective statement says the recognition has primarily benefited cultural tourism businesses and outside groups rather than the purépecha communities and composers who sustain the tradition.
- Many pireris say they were never consulted on the nomination and only learned of the 2010 inscription through media reports, with the process driven by state tourism and culture offices alongside interpreters based in Morelia.
- A human-rights complaint prompted UNESCO to ask the state to respond and form a multidisciplinary team, but pireris say reported safeguarding activities were not carried out with culture-bearers and often used non-purépecha interpreters.
- Organizing that intensified with a 2022 meeting in Angahuan now focuses on reversing the inscription, citing performances taken to venues such as Zacán and Xcaret as examples of touristification detached from community control.