Guamare
The Guamares were an indigenous group that were concentrated in the region of the present state of Guanajuato. They were part of the Chichimecas.
 Map of Chichimeca Nation | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Unknown | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Mexico (Guanajuato) | |
| Languages | |
| Guamares Language and Spanish | |
| Religion | |
| Indigenous Religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Chichimecas |
The Guamares were centered in the Guanajuato Sierras, but some bands ranged as far east as Querétaro. The 17th century author Gonzalo de las Casas described the Guamares as "the bravest, most warlike, treacherous and destructive of all the Chichimecas, and the most astute (dispuesta)."
One Guamar group called the "Chichimecas Blancos" lived in the region between Jalostotitlan and Aguascalientes. This branch of the Guamares painted their heads white. However, much like the Guachichiles, many of the Guamares colored their long hair red and painted the body with various colors.
From 1550 to 1590, the Guamares along with other Chichimeca groups waged a fierce guerrilla war against the Spaniards and their Indian allies in a conflict known as the Chichimeca War. Unable to defeat the Chichimecas militarily, the Spaniards offered goods and opportunities as an incentive for them to make peace.