The arched hallway to this market pays beautiful tribute to its fruit sellers Despite only having been Interim President of Mexico for a few months in 1832 Melchor Múzquiz is the namesake of a fair few institutions in the country The most notable of these is probably his birthplace of Santa Rosa The market bearing his name in the town of San Ángel The building housing the market was originally quite plain typical of Mexico City public works in those years the market was little more than a place for locals to buy produce and groceries San Ángel would become completely engulfed in Mexico City's urban sprawl With the area's growing reputation as a destination artist Ariosto Otero Reyes was commissioned by local authorities to transform the outside of the market with murals His finished work was unveiled in September 2008 Given free rein to choose the subject matter and medium for his murals Reyes settled on a mix of folklorist scenes related to the market's trade and a tribute to his personal heroes the murals break with the Mexican tradition of fresco painting favoring instead an almost collage-like mixed media approach involving rescued materials such as broken porcelain pieces and post-industrial refuse to create something similar to a tiled mosaic The murals occupy the inside and outside walls of the market's front arched hallway and depict 67 people involved in various activities While the majority of the 46 men and 21 women depicted are anonymous fruit sellers some of the figures are significantly more recognizable Reyes couldn't help but add a meta reference to the history of Mexican muralism in the mural itself including the "Big Three" painters Diego Rivera You can also find well-known figures such as the singer and classic film star Pedro Infante and writers Carlos Monsiváis and Elena Poniatowska gracing the walls The mural hall can be visited even when the market is closed some of the market stands will move to the outside hall and block the path and view to see the murals Melchor Múzquiz is the official name of the market but most locals known it simply as Mercado de San Ángel The ceiling of this shopping arcade is adorned with six trompe-l’œil artworks Hundreds of graffiti artists have decorated this flood-wall on the west bank of the Mississippi River This vivid painted ceramic sculpture evokes the expansiveness of the prairie sky A former pyramid-shaped library with colorful murals lies just across the bay from Old San Juan This magnificent work of art captures the spirit of the region A fascinating community art piece created by students and noted Philadelphia artist Isaiah Zagar Created by Catalan artist Joan Miró in 1978 and made up of 350,000 tiles this mural is the only large-scale glass mosaic the artist ever created A mosaic made of materials gathered from this Brooklyn community adorns the walls of this tunnel As we continue to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month the Office of History and Culture enjoys exploring our local connections to the Spanish speaking countries of Central and South America Did you know that Denton is a Friendship City to Múzquiz Múzquiz became Denton’s official Friendship City we are going to take a look at the connection between Denton and Múzquiz Múzquiz is a mining city located about 100 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border and is one of 38 municipalities of Coahuila in north-eastern Mexico Father Juan Larios founded Santa Rosa mission in present day Muzquiz Spanish missionaries and the native Kickapoo Indians occupied the area for many years the city established as Villa de Múzquiz who served as acting president of Mexico in 1832 The city with a population close to 70,000 serves as the a coal mining center for Coahuila. Silver lead and zinc are also mined nearby. The area has a strong agricultural production of corn and many farmers raise cattle and goats.  Some of the residents have ties to their indigenous heritage and a small percentage of the population speak native languages including Kickapoo and Nahuatl Men dressed in traditional Kickapoo clothing Denton experienced a wave of immigration from Coahuila People came to Denton to work for companies like Acme Brick, Morrison Milling Many of the families of these workers stayed in Denton but continued to keep close ties to Múzquiz Múzquiz’s Mayor Luis Santos visited Denton for the chance to meet Denton’s mayor and speak about the possibility of becoming sister cities or friendship cities At the time, the mayor of Denton was not available but Mayor Santos was able to meet with city councilman Jim Englebrecht. After a positive meeting between the two the next steps included establishing an organization in Denton to help bridge the connection between Denton and Múzquiz. From this decision The ten founding members of Proyecto Diez (10) include: Mayela De La Garza Proyecto 10 introduced themselves to the community by hosting a Posada event at Denton’s Martin Luther King Center the partnership between Denton and Múzquiz continued to grow Proytecto 10 worked with the mayor and members of Denton City Council including John Cabrales and Michelle Cunningham, to initiate the Friendship City agreement Mayor Luis Santos of Múzquiz returned to Denton to sign the Friendship City agreement at Denton City Hall Denton Mayor Chris Watts presented Mayor Santos with bullet proof vests and firefighting gear all donated from Denton’s police and fire departments  Mayor Santos was also featured in Denton’s Cinco de Mayo parade The result of becoming friendship cities has provided many opportunities for both the citizens of Denton and Múzquiz The members of Proyecto 10 stayed busy throughout 2015 and the organization collected school supplies sent emergency supplies to those in need after the destructive tornado in the neighboring city of Acuña and donated toys to the children for Christmas Mayor Luis Santos returned to Denton to present a leather handcrafted saddle and marble top table to the City of Denton These items displayed the craftsmanship of the people of Múzquiz the people of Múzquiz also built a large stone sign at the entrance to the city that reads: “Muzquiz-Denton: Ciudades Amigas,” which translates to friendship cities Mayor Watts and Mayor Santos with the marble table donated to the City of Denton in 2016 For the 2016 celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Museo Historico de Múzquiz partnered with Proyecto 10 and loaned several large exhibit panels with the history of Múzquiz and the Coahuila region to Denton This exhibit was displayed in the Commissioners Courtroom at the Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square. This was an opportunity for the Denton community to learn more about their new friendship city Proyecto 10 continues to raise awareness about the needs of the people of Múzquiz Proyecto 10 has also partnered with the local chapter of LULAC to help raise money including scholarships for students in the community and money to help individuals in Múzquiz living with disabilities Members of Proyecto 10 with Mayor Luis Santos of Muzquiz at Denton’s Cinco de Mayo parade in 2015 Special thanks to Aida Urquidez and Proyecto 10 for the information about Múzquiz You can visit their booth to learn more about their organization during the 2018 Denton County Hispanic Heritage Festival on Saturday October 6 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" awoke to severe flooding Thursday after a storm dumped about 30 centimeters of rain on the municipality and nearby communities have been affected by the flooding with some families trapped in their homes due to the abundance of water Múzquiz Mayor Tania Flores declared a state of emergency in the municipality In another post in the early afternoon she thanked all the rescuers who risked their lives to save those of others Accompanying video footage showed a rescue worker carrying a young boy through waist-high water Government helicopters were also deployed to aid rescue efforts as streets in Múzquiz appeared more like fast-flowing rivers The newspaper Milenio reported the death of cattle and pets but no human fatalities had been reported in the municipality by late Thursday afternoon “Today we lived through a time of crisis and sadness … [in which] 70% of the population lost everything they had,” Flores wrote in another Facebook post “I never thought … we would have such a large natural disaster … There are thousands of victims in Múzquiz … I ask everyone in different municipalities for your help She also posted heartfelt video messages to her Facebook page sobbing as she shared footage of some of the affected areas “Move away from flooded areas because [the situation] is critical,” she said in one video “My heart breaks to see what is happening in Múzquiz.” Shelters were set up to receive people rescued by authorities and private citizens canoes and other watercraft to navigate the flooded streets members of the National Guard and Civil Protection personnel were among the official rescuers who worked throughout the day The newspaper El Universal reported that flooding was higher than one meter in low-lying parts of Múzquiz stranded vehicles and caused local waterways The flooding closed schools and many businesses in Melchor Múzquiz located about 140 kilometers north of Monclova and a similar distance southwest of the northern border city of Piedras Negras The region has experienced heavy rain in recent days and one person was swept away by floodwaters and drowned in the municipality of Acuña on Tuesday, Milenio said. Also in the region, 10 presumably deceased coal miners remain underground in the municipality of Sabinas almost a month after the mine in which they were working flooded when a wall collapsed during excavation work Flooding has also recently affected other parts of northern Mexico where authorities warned that people driving quad bikes or other vehicles recklessly in water-clogged streets will be detained ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight Early September floods devastated the Mexican city Múzquiz Múzquiz Mayor Tania Flores has been sharing photographs of the flood’s aftermath on her Facebook page Múzquiz Mayor Tania Flores snaps a photograph of a child one of thousands of residents affected by the floodwaters in early September This story has been updated to correct a misspelling of Juanita Salazar Guajardo's last name The rescue worker carried the boy as high as he could lift him as they made their way through waist-deep water in Múzquiz, Denton’s friendship city in Coahuila, Mexico. Just under a foot of rain had dropped on the city Thursday, causing severe flooding that has displaced more than 70% of the residents, who lost everything in the storm, Mexico News Daily reported on Sept. 1 and the surrounding communities in what the News Daily described as “fast-flowing rivers” that flowed into homes and the vehicles of stranded motorists Businesses and schools were forced to close Government helicopters were deployed to help rescuers Múzquiz Mayor Tania Flores shared a video of the floodwaters and the rescuer carrying the boy on Facebook on Thursday and declared a state of emergency though tens of thousands among more than 71,000 people who live in Múzquiz have been displaced and are in desperate need of help “I never thought … we would have such a large natural disaster,” Flores said on Facebook “There are thousands of victims in Múzquiz … I ask everyone in different municipalities for your help where more than 5,000 people from Múzquiz live according to a 2016 Denton Record-Chronicle report Several of them are putting together donation drop-offs to help their hometown community whose family migrated from Múzquiz when she was 4 years old she began sharing posts on social media seeking the public’s help “My native hometown suffered from heavy rain that caused flooding,” Guajardo wrote Monday on Nextdoor “My husband and I will be making a special trip to Múzquiz to transport donations to help those in need.” They hope to pull a trailer filled with items on Sept 16 in hopes the mud-covered roadways will be open by then and supplies are a big expense for families,” Guajardo continued “Their items were destroyed because they’re not kept at school like they are here.” Guajardo also shared items that Flores said were in great need: mattresses “Anything you would need if you were in their shoes,” Guajardo pointed out at the end of her social media post “I know Denton won’t disappoint in helping our Friendship City and I believe that we all can give back a little bit of what we have to someone who needs it In her quest to raise awareness about the devastation in Múzquiz Guajardo said she also contacted Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth for help but she said she hadn’t heard back from him by Tuesday afternoon Efforts by the Record-Chronicle to reach Hudspeth on Tuesday also were unsuccessful The ties that bind Denton and Múzquiz stretch back to the 1970s, when people from Múzquiz began moving their families to North Texas and contributing to the local business community and playing a “major role in city life,” as freelance writer Jim Dale pointed out in his three-part series for the Record-Chronicle in February 2016 about his trip to Múzquiz then business development officer for Denton “The connection between the two cities is remarkable It’s been a growing part of the city for decades but no one has had a feel for how significant it really is until fairly recently.” then-Mayor Chris Watts and other Denton leaders proclaimed a friendship alliance with Múzquiz Seven years later, some of those memories that tie the two communities together were no doubt part of the debris and rubble left behind in the city streets by the floodwaters “As mayor at the time when Denton and Múzquiz I am deeply saddened by the devastation of their city and community by massive flooding,” Watts said “Most of the population has been displaced as a result of the flooding and let’s do what we can to ease their suffering.” Guajardo and others from these friendship communities are hoping those ties will help some of the tens of thousands who have lost everything said people there are needing basic necessities and household items such as forks and pots and pans as well as bath towels “I’m just trying to reach anyone who has something they don’t need,” she said just something that works and can be reused.” Guajardo has already collected a lot of clothing but they’re also in the early stages of speaking with other community members about taking a caravan of items across the southern border And while a shelter has been set up in Múzquiz is able to make it to the shelter because of the impassable roads and one of them recently shared a photo on social media and said that he wasn’t able to drive his truck into town People are being forced to walk from the outskirts Guajardo said the forecast for when they plan to go in mid-September reveals it will be sunny and they’re hoping he’ll be able to use it to reach people on the outskirts and provide assistance “I don’t work with a political group or any specific group,” she said “I’m just a concerned individual who loves my hometown and its residents.” CHRISTIAN McPHATE can be reached at 940-220-4299 and via Twitter at @writerontheedge Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Your 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morning Don’t miss out on breaking news in Denton from weather and traffic to big events and important headlines Be the first to know the latest on new stores restaurants and other businesses in Denton County so you can live better here Get the scoop on all the thrilling victories nail-biting games and standout performances — straight from the sidelines of Denton-area high schools we bring you the highlights and updates from our hometown college teams Prepare for the polls and stay informed on the candidates issues and deadlines for Denton County’s key races Save money and find what you need with promotions from local businesses and special DRC offers Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Tucked away in a corner of the state of Coahuila only a couple of hours from the United States border lies a municipality with an open secret: two communities — one of African descendants (called Mascogos in Mexico) and one of Kickapoo both who fled the United States in the 19th century The twin communities are both called Nacimiento but distinguished from each other not so subtly with the appendages de los Negros and de los Indios Both communities belong to the municipality of Muzquiz The two ethnicities share similar stories: both were displaced on multiple occasions in the 19th century as the United States expanded and consolidated its hold on territories west and into Florida Both groups would find at least a measure of asylum in Mexican territory generally in exchange for military services Both groups have familial and tribal connections to the United States Their communities are separate from the main town of Muzquiz and only partly connected to the rest of the world Traditional life for both revolves around farming livestock and semiautonomous communal governing systems Both groups have received attention from U.S Although many in Coahuila consider both the Kickapoo and the Mascogos to be somewhat hostile to outsiders both are important to the identity of Muzquiz in 2018 in large part due to their presence Both groups wound up here because Muzquiz began as a fort in 1737 to protect Spanish settlements from Comanche attacks The current name was given to the municipality in 1832 in honor of an interim president of Mexico who was from here there are important differences in the stories of the two groups The Kickapoo were forced south from their native Wisconsin during the 18th and 19th centuries which have descendants in various parts of Kansas The group that made its way to Coahuila was first allowed into Mexican Texas in 1824 put diplomatic pressure on Mexico on various occasions during the 1800s to “return” Kickapoo to be settled on reservations gaining permission in exchange for scouting and other services to the Mexican government troops to “repatriate” these Kickapoo led to the Mexican government granting them communal lands to bolster their legal status a group of 200 Kickapoo left Nacimiento — not for the United States but for Tamichopa This Sonoran Kickapoo community still exists today The Kickapoo have had success in maintaining their identity and bloodlines Everyone in Nacimiento de los Indios speaks Kickapoo the only non-native Indian language spoken in Mexico They also speak Spanish or English or both Their community is more isolated than that of the Mascogos They still take their drinking water directly from the headwaters of the Sabinas River the cleanest river water I have seen in Mexico Some gas and electricity (from generators) are used but most communications and other services must be obtained in Muzquiz or Eagle Pass Religious life remains strong for the Kickapoo and relatively unchanged Like the Huichol indigenous people of Mexico the deer figures prominently in Kickapoo beliefs with deerskin moccasins and other apparel highly prized they have adapted to farming and livestock raising but keep a nomadic element to their lifestyle They have seasonal moves between Nacimiento and various parts of the United States often arranging with the neighboring Mascogos to care for their property while they are gone This migration now figures into their religious ceremonies as well Their strong ties and conservation of identity mean that this group is recognized by tribal authorities in the United States Nacimiento Kickapoo automatically have dual Mexican and U.S citizenship and can travel freely between the two countries This ethnicity arose with escaped slaves making their way to Spanish Florida The people who became the Mascogos (the name probably derived from “Muskogee”) were led into Coahuila by the Black Seminole leader John Horse in the 1850s The Mascogos worked as scouts for both the Mexican and U.S they are divided between Nacimiento and Brackettville with family ties maintaining a connection between the two communities Their African-American heritage is visible in their cuisine (a mix of Mexican and Deep South foods and cooking techniques) their traditional houses (based on log cabins) and their Protestant Christian beliefs They spoke English until a couple of generations ago when it became relegated only to hymns and the very old and in 2017 the governor of Coahuila recognized them as an indigenous group with the hope of gaining support for them from Mexico’s National Institute of Indigenous Peoples the Mascogos do not have recognition by the Seminole tribe in the U.S. nor the citizenship privileges that go along with it This is mostly likely due to their mixed ancestry which continues as Mascogos intermarry with local “Mexicans.” Neither community has more than a couple of hundred members so their futures are questionable at the very least In addition to assimilation into Mexican society the other factor working against them is the economic draw of migrating north across a border that is tantalizingly close Efforts such as Pueblo Mágico status have been made in the hopes of somehow maintaining their heritage only five to six generations after their arrival livestock and leather is as important as its Mascogo and Kickapoo communities (who often do much of the same work) But I think Americans like me can be forgiven if we are drawn more strongly to our “lost brethren” forced to flee to another country so long ago Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico 17 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture. She publishes a blog called Creative Hands of Mexico and her first book, Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta, was published last year Her culture blog appears regularly on Mexico News Daily Saturdays are the busy days along the beautiful cobblestones of Colonia San Ángel in southwest Mexico City as tourists flock flaunt and ogle their way to El Bazaar Sábado But there’s still a bit of solace to be had the most high-end of Mexico City’s weekly markets and one of the most popular even featured on Gwyneth Paltrow’s goop.com (to give you an idea what we’re working with) Live Bossa Nova music outside the fancified Saks Restaurant sets the scene for an upscale afternoon in San Ángel given its Anglo-Spanish name by its American founders was conceived as a weekly tianguis to display Mexican crafts and international contemporary art The bazaar opened at Doctor Gálvez #23 in 1960 but quickly overtook its space and moved to its current gorgeous 17th-century colonial home at Plaza Jacinto #11 in 1964 As you enter the stone archway there is a deep country club vibe among the pressed cottons and wide-brimmed sun hats You almost expect a passing polo player to pull you up into the saddle for a better view of the works Yet nearly all the items are flawlessly crafted The shops are run out of separate rooms throughout the mansion and mostly tended by the artisans who actually make the product José Antonio Rodríguez Pérez (the son of one of Bazaar Sábado’s founders) sells his sexualized surrealist sculptures The intricate designs beg to be touched and the moveable circular mirrors to be spun for a trippy view of the room the figures and dinnerware in ceramic and glass are well-priced for their perfection – the styles ranging from kitschy/cute to minimal utilitarian young devotees of famed jewelry maker Olga Hinojosa sell her flora-inspired intricately designed sterling silver rings and pendants to a whole new audience continues to design and teach in Cuernavaca the feel of the country club continues with a sun-dappled buffet at Restaurante Bazaar Sábado the fare is thoroughly homecooked Mexican and a surprisingly good deal at 215 pesos Plaza San Jacinto is chock full of artworks for sale by their creators running the gamut from original talent to telltale hackery There are new artists in their 20s and some who have been selling here for decades horrendous vomits of color; traditional sculptures and masks; punkified historical figures; or a portrait of a cat pilot barrel rolling his fighter jet over patches of farmland below But this is one of the largest weekly sales of working artists in the city and there is certainly something to be found for every taste Across from the plaza is Museo Casa Del Risco worth a free visit for the centerpiece fountain alone which is made of hundreds of broken pieces of historical pottery from around the world The museum was the former home of the one-time governor of the state of México and features his collections of Baroque religious paintings and European portraits Take a walk up the winding staircase for the 1850s lithographs of Plaza San Jacinto and compare it to the ultra-modern live view out the window to the plaza below you’ll run along the outdoor Saturday Bazaar with a bit more of a modestly priced selection curated toward local and international tourists of the eclectic The occasional Lamborghini passes as we (I) all hope that it might just smash a fender on a larger than average cobblestone And middle-aged ladies meander through in blinding pink and yellow floral prints that challenge the color spectrum threatening to break a rainbow right in half a lady selling tiny sweet pancake-like gorditas keeps watch at the gate to the Parish of San Jacinto The bougainvillea-covered walls and lush grounds are small but wonderfully tended surprisingly silent escape from the surrounding bustle Back down into town along Calle Arteaga and the scene is lively Along the back entrance to Mercado Melchor Múzquiz run a number of taco stands with the chopped or stewed tacos of your choice – all of them good Mercado Múzquiz is said to be where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera regularly did their shopping in San Ángel and the market’s main attraction runs across the façade at the Avenida Revolución entrance – a mural by Ariosto Otero the mural was added when the market was renovated in 2008 and represents everyday market activities and features popular artists of music And you can take it all in while you wait in the deep but fast-moving line for San Ángel’s best seafood just through the mural threshold at Marisquería La Bamba San Ángel • Bazaar Sábado is on Plaza San Jacinto #11 open Saturdays from 10:00am to 6:00pm and Mercado Melchor Múzquiz is at Avenida Revolución and Múzquiz This is the 10th in a series on the bazaars