The Apache Bands of West Texas and Chihuahua, Mexico

The region known as La Junta de Los Rios is an isolated, triangular region at the congruence of the Rio Conchos and Rio Grande rivers. The area extends south towards Cuchillo Parado in Northern Chihuahua, Mexico and stretches northeast to Redford, Texas and northwest to Ruidosa, Texas with Presidio, Texas and Ojinaga, Mexico at its center. The area was home to various Native American tribes including the following: 

• Jumano (Buffalo hunters of the Northern Texas plains who made their winter home in La Junta and their summer home on the Texas plains)
• Jumano-Apache (Apaches-Jumanes, Jumano that joined and integrated with their traditional enemies - the Apache in the 1700s)
• Conchos (Native group along the east Conchos, likely absorbed by Apachean groups)
• Julimes  (Agricultural faction of the Jumano, near Julimes, Chihuahua, likely absorbed by Apachean groups)
• Tobosos (Apache of Mexico, the equivalent of the Chiracahua Apache of the United States, destroyed by Mexican forces, remainder integrated with Apachean groups)
• Suma (Believed to be a northern family group of the Jumano and Jumano-Apache, between La Junta and El Paso, TX, likely absorbed by Apachean groups)
• Mescalero-Apache (The Southern Mescalero-Apache at the Presidio del Norte between 1780-1830, major group responsible for the Apacheanization of La Junta)
• Lipan-Apache (The Lipan bands present at Presidio del Norte between 1780-1830, minor group, affiliated with the Lipan to the east near San Antonio)
• Salinero-Apache (Also known as the Faraones, merged in the 1700's with the Mescalero bands). 
• Nakai'ye-N'de (Nakai'ye means Mexican, in a general sense, but in this context, by adding N'de as a suffix, refers to the Mexican Clan of Lipan/Mescalero that stayed in Northern Chihuahua after the relocation of the Mescalero to the Bosque Redondo, New Mexico)

In the late 1600's. Juan Sabeata, a Jumano leader of the day (c 1645 - 1692) tried to forge an alliance with the Spanish settlers to protect the region from encroachments of Apache. The irony of this action is that the Jumano would eventually receive so much abuse from the Spanish, that they forged an alliance with the Apache and became Apaches-Jumanes (Jumano-Apache). The Apache may have had their own motives as well, the Spanish were pushing them from the South and the Comanche pushing them from the north. It would make sense to align with the tribes at La Junta, where there was water, hunting and agricultural opportunities. 

By the late 1700's, the Salinero-Apache of the Pecos and Davis Mountains (also known as the Faraones) and Mescalero Apache had moved into the area, being pushed south by the Comanche-Kiowa raids. The Salinero would eventually be absorbed into the Mescalero proper. In 1779, Commandant-General Teodoro de Croix offered a truce to any Mescalero-Apache who would serve as auxiliary soldiers in campaigns against the hostile Gila-Apache. 

In 1780, due to depredations committed by Mescalero-Apache, Jumano-Apache and Lipan-Apache, "Establecimientos de Paz" or "Peace Settlements" were established near the Presidio del Norte and the Jumano (Apaches-Jumanes) Indians of the area intermarried, assimilated and were absorbed into the Mescalero-Apache populations of La Junta. Some family in La Junta believe, as the Jumano-Nation of Texas believes, that their specific Jumano family groups (such as the Solorio tribe), never merged with the Apache. There is no reason to doubt that many tribal groups kept their individual identities, but it is difficult to argue that the Apache did not leave fingerprints of their culture in all Native groups at La Junta. The question only is, to what extent did the Apache influence any specific tribe. According to many anthropologists, the answer is, "a lot." After 1800, the only tribe mentioned in Spanish records at La Junta are the Apache. 

From the late 1700's through the early 1800's, Mexican government efforts to turn Apache into peaceful farmers were met with mixed results. Some Apache integrated, becoming what are known as Apaches-Gentils (peaceful Apache), while others strayed from the settlements in order to hunt buffalo. Keep in mind, every Apache band had its own politics, behaviors and leaders, just like any other modern families. These efforts by the Presidio del Norte to establish peaceful reservations in the area lasted until approximately 1831 until rations for the Apache were ultimately cut off completely by the Mexican government.

At the end of the Peace Reservation era, some Apache remained at La Junta in relative peace, served as auxiliaries and/or integrated into the local native and Spanish populations. Others fought efforts to bring peace and/or simply left the area. Regardless of whether the Apache stayed or left, the entire area was already Apacheanized, meaning, the way of life of the Apache would be forever integrated into the other Natives of the area, so much so that you couldn't really identify an Apache from a non-Apache. 

Over the years, due to the harsh environment and remote geography, the La Junta region remained heavily isolated from the rest of Texas and Mexico. The descendants of the original Apache, Jumano and Jumano-Apache from the Establecimientos de Paz stayed in the area and sustained a life of hunting, farming and ranching along the Rio Grande and Rio Conchos rivers. In modern times, these families were eventually dispersed throughout West Texas in cities such as Presidio, Redford, Polvo, Ruidosa, Marfa, Candelaria, Valentine and Van Horn, Texas. Sadly, many descendants of the Apache of La Junta know nothing about their own heritage and the struggles of their ancestors. 

Note About the Patarabueyes of La Junta (1600s)

Some may ask why I do not mention the "Patarabueyes" in this summary. The reason is two-fold. By the time the 1700's rolled around, the Patarabueyes no longer existed as an individual group, having been absorbed into other tribes of the area. The other reason, is political. The Spanish called the Natives "Patarabueyes" which mean Ox-Kickers, as an insult. They were implying that the Indians were uncouth savages who kicked their animals. For this reason, I have chose to omit the name Patarabueyes. In the future, I may change my mind, depending on the history that I dig up.