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Artisans in towns and villages located in the Toluca Valley, south of the city of Toluca, produce a wide variety of crafts and textiles for domestic use and for sale. Tenancingo is the most important center for the weaving of rebozos in the State of Mexico, and beautiful wool serapes and "gabanes" are woven in Coatepec Harinas. In Calimaya women and girls knot intricate macramé fringes for rebozos. Several towns are known for their pottery, among them Tecomatepec, Arenal de las Ollas, Tonatico, and - of course - Metepec. One can find leatherwork in Tenango and baskets in Chalchihuapan and Tonatico. San Antonio de la Isla has long been famous for wooden boxes, as well as for decorative items carved from horn and bone. Bags made from "ixtle" are woven in Zumpahuacán, where carvers also craft wooden masks. Although these towns are not indigenous communities today, many local artisans are proud of the fact that they are the descendants of the Matlatzinca, an important and powerful prehispanic culture. The Matlatzinca speak an Otopamean language that is related to Otomí and Mazahua. Matlatzinca is one of the more endangered indigenous languages of Mexico, spoken today by relatively few individuals in two communities in the State of Mexico. San Francisco Oxtotilpan is located in a valley south of Toluca, and San Juan Atzingo is located near the border with the State of Morelos. The inhabitants of these communities speak different dialects of Matlatzinca, and the people of San Juan Atzingo are sometimes called Ocuiltecos. Thanks Karen Bob Freund 11/2005 |
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