how did Mexicans and native Americans become separate people?

Question

So I understand over time. Spanish people start having kids with native Americans. Eventually Mexicans grew tired of the Spanish rule and didn’t want it anymore. Now when I go to Mexico. I understand people call themselves Mexicans. But when I was there In puerto Vallarta I encountered 2 men who spoke Spanish but also a Native American language. Nahuatl. They referred to themselves as different people. I can’t remember the name. My Mexican cousin referred to them as different people. I thought abt it and I just find it weird that as a Mexican you share the same blood yet you identify as a different nationality or ethnicity. I’ve heard my grandma use the word Huicholes. Shes Mexican as well.

In: Other

Answer 1

I have a Mexican friend who claims to be almost entirely ethnically a Spaniard. This is really no different from a US American claiming to be almost entirely Irish.