How humans adapt to environmental change has become a central focus of scientific studies. A historical lens can help us further understand the connections between communities and their environment. This paper will analyze the interplay between the Purépecha culture in Mexico and the landscape, in the context of an unexpected natural event.

In February 1943, a volcano emerged from a cornfield in Michoacán, México and erupted until 1952. The new volcano, named Parícutin, soon became a popular destination, attracting scientists, artists, reporters, and tourists from around the world. Scientists from Mexico and the U.S. were interested in Parícutin because it was the first volcano that they could study from its conception. USGS scientists collaborating with Mexican scientists and local villagers monitored the volcano for the nine years it was active, producing scientific reports and documenting it with photographs. Artists, writers, and reporters also produced images and stories relating to Parícutin. Despite a plethora of material published on the volcano, no publications have used a historical perspective to examine the implications of the volcano in the culture of the communities living in the area.

This paper studies how a community makes sense of sudden changes in their landscape and highlights the interplay between culture and environment. Through an analysis of artwork, archival material, and published reports, this paper will identify and compare how the local, national, and international observers interacted and interpreted the emergence and eruption of Parícutin. By exploring the deep-rooted connection between people and volcanoes in Mexican culture, this paper contributes to the broader study of how people understand their environment.