P'urhépecha is a language isolate: it has not been shown to be related to any other language family, making it unique in Mesoamerica. Its speakers founded one of the most powerful states of the Postclassic, the Tarascan kingdom, which the Mexica never conquered.

About 142,000 people speak P'urhépecha, concentrated in the highlands and lake region of Michoacán, around Lake Pátzcuaro. The P'urhépecha people are renowned for their crafts (copper, wood, pottery), their music, and celebrations such as Night of the Dead on Janitzio.

The Tarascan kingdom submitted to the Spanish around 1522. In the 16th century, bishop Vasco de Quiroga organized hospital-towns and community trades that still shape the region. Missionaries such as fray Maturino Gilberti wrote grammars and a vocabulary of Tarascan, fixing one of the first written forms of the language.

P'urhépecha is classified as definitely endangered, though it retains a strong community identity. There is bilingual education, community radio, and contemporary literature and music in the language. The autonym 'p'urhépecha' (the people) is preferred today over the exonym 'Tarascan.'