Juan Banderas (executed 1833 at Arizpe) was the leader of the

Yaqui The Yaqui, Hiaki, or Yoeme, are an Indigenous people of Mexico and Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe, who speak the Yaqui language, a Uto-Aztecan language. Their primary homelands are in Río Yaqui valley in the no ...

during part of the

Yaqui Wars The Yaqui Wars were a series of armed conflicts between New Spain, and its successor state, the Mexico, Mexican Republic, against the Yaqui people, Yaqui Native Americans in the United States, Natives. The period began in 1533 and lasted until 19 ...

, 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, 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. 1833 deaths Yaqui people Year of birth missing {{Mexico-bio-stub