Yaquis and the Empire

the long version

This title examines the history of Yaqui-Spanish interactions from first contact in 1533 to Mexican independence in 1821. It deals with the colonial history of the Yaqui people of the state of Sonora and presents a portrait of the colonial experience of the indigenous peoples of Mexico's Yaqui River Valley. It identifies 3 ironies that emerged: the strategic use by the Yaquis of both resistance and collaboration; the intertwined roles of violence and negotiation in the colonial pact; and the surprising ability of the imperial power to remain effective despite its general weakness.