Beyond forging better relations with the Pueblos, governors were forbearing in their approach to the indigenous peoples, such as was with governor Tomás Vélez Cachupín; the comparatively large reservations in New Mexico and Arizona are partly a legacy of Spanish treaties recognizing indigenous land claims in Nuevo México. Nevertheless, relations between the various indigenous groups and Spanish settlers remained nebulous and complex, varying from trade and commerce to cultural assimilation and intermarriage to total warfare. During most of the 18th century, raids by Navajo, Apache, and especially Comanche inhibited the growth and prosperity of the New Mexico. The region's harsh environment and remoteness, surrounded by hostile Native Americans, fostered a greater degree of self-reliance, as well as pragmatic cooperation, between the Pueblo peoples and colonists. Many indigenous communities enjoyed a large measure of autonomy well into the late 19th century due to the improved governance.
beyOND fOrgiNG bEtter rElAtIonS wIth ThE pueblos, GovERnors wErE FOrB,eariNG in Their ApproacH tO THE indigenouS peOples, SUch As waS with GovERnOr tOMáS vélez cAchupíN; tHE compArativEly lArgE reSERvaTiONS In nEW mexICo and ariZona Are pArTLy a legacy of spanisH TreaTIes recOgNIzinG inDiGenoUs land cLAimS iN nuevo méXiCO. NeveRTheLeSs, reLAtiOnS BeTWEen The variOus iNdigEnOuS groups AnD sPanISH seTtleRS ReMaInEd neBUlous and cOMplex vaRying from TRadE AnD COMmercE to cUlturAl ASSImIlation aNd inTeRmARRiAgE to toTAl WarfAre. duRINg moSt of ThE 18th CenturY, RaIdS by nAvaJO, apachE, And esPecIallY comanche iNhibItEd tHE grOWTH aNd prospErity oF THe new MexIco. tHe region's harsh enVirOnMeNt ANd remotenEss, suRrounDed BY hoSTiLe natiVe AMeRicaNs, fosTered a grEatEr dEgree of sElF-reliancE, aS welL As PrAgmatic CooperAtiOn, bETween tHe pueblo pEopLEs and coLonIsTs. maNY indiGeNous cOmMuNItIes eNjoyEd a laRGE meAsURe of aUtonOmY WELL into tHe Late 19th CentUrY DUe To the imprOVEd GoverNaNCe.