Juan Banderas (executed 1833 at

Arizpe Arizpe (or Arispe) is a small town and the municipal seat of the Arizpe Municipality in the north of the Mexican state of Sonora. It is located at 30°20'"N 110°09'"W. The area of the municipality is 2,806.78 sq.km. The population in 2005 was ...

) was the leader of the

Yaqui The Yaqui, Hiaki, or Yoeme, are a Native American people of the southwest, who speak a Uto-Aztecan language. Their homelands include the Río Yaqui valley in Sonora, Mexico, and the area below the Gila River in Arizona, Southwestern United ...

during part of the

Yaqui Wars The Yaqui Wars, were a series of armed conflicts between New Spain, and its successor state, the Mexican Republic, against the Yaqui Natives. The period began in 1533 and lasted until 1929. The Yaqui Wars, along with the Caste War against the ...

, specifically from 1825 until 1833. Banderas came to the leadership of the Yaqui when they opened war against Occidente State due to opposition to threats of taxation and ending of their sovereignty. Banderas was able to convince the

Mayos The Mayo or ''Yoreme'' are an indigenous group in Mexico, living in the northern states of southern Sonora, northern Sinaloa and small settlements in Durango. Mayo people originally lived near the Mayo River and Fuerte River valleys. The Mayo ...

, Opatas and Pimas to join in the war against the Mexicans. In 1827 Banderas' forces suffered defeat due to using primarily bows and arrows against the Mexicans guns. Banderas then negotiated a peace in which he was pardoned and made the captain-general of the Yaqui towns. In 1829 Occidente instituted a new plan to tax the Yaqui and also to allot their lands. They also ended the office of captain-general. Banderas decided to wait until he had better weapons to act. By 1832 he had enough guns and gunpowder to feel confident of some success in war with the Mexicans. His force of 1,000 including Opatas under the command of Dolores Gutiérrez was defeated near Buenavista in 1833. He was then captured and executed.

Sources

*Spicer, Edward H. ''Cycles of Conquest''. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1962. Yaqui tribe 1833 deaths Yaqui people Year of birth missing {{Mexico-bio-stub