Inde

Indé lies in the northern uplands of Durango, near the mountain known as La Bufa. The surrounding country was home to Tepehuan communities before Spanish mining brought newcomers into the region. In 1563 Francisco de Ibarra found mineral deposits near the mountain, and Captain Rodrigo del Río de Losa later established the mining settlement of Indé. The mines drew Indigenous laborers as well as missionaries seeking to establish a lasting presence.

Jesuits worked among Tepehuan miners at Indé and founded a nearby mission at Tizonazo. In 1616 a great Tepehuan revolt broke out across Nueva Vizcaya, attacking missions and Spanish settlements after years of colonial rule. Fighting continued for several years, and many survivors withdrew into the mountains. The uprising reshaped the relationship between the mission communities, mining districts and Indigenous peoples of northern Durango.