Otopamean

The Otopamean group includes peoples of the Oto-Manguean language stock, mostly the Oto-Pamean peoples of the central Mexican highlands: the Otomi, the Matlatzinca of the Toluca Valley, the Pame, and the Chichimeca bands of the Bajío such as the Guamar. Farther away, Oto-Manguean speakers included the Chorotega, who moved south to Nicaragua around 800, the Chiapanec and the Tlapanec.

The Otomi lost their lands in the Valley of Mexico to the Mexica, who took the Matlatzinca valley under Axayacatl in 1475. After the conquest of 1521 the Otomi helped colonize the Bajío, while the Guamar and their neighbours fought the Spanish in the Chichimeca War of 1550—1590. Many Chorotega were enslaved.