American Indian Culture and Research Journal

Purépecha people, which includes Pueblo indigenous communities from westcentral Mexico, have a long migration history to the American Midwest. Purépecha migrations northward are documented as early as the sixteenth century. This article follows the intergenerational post-migration experiences of the author’s family to examine and consider contemporary Purépecha aesthetic acts as conscious articulations of identity and place. Tracing family photos and narratives across international borders and into intimate, gendered spaces, this article illustrates how the daily aesthetic choices of migrant indigenous peoples—including bodily adornment, assertions of spatial boundaries, and family nourishment—all activate spaces of affirmation and renewal for future generations.