San Andrés Mixquic

San Andres Míxquic is a community located in the southeast of the Distrito Federal (Mexico City) in the borough of Tláhuac.

“Míxquic” means “in mesquite”[2] but the community's culture for most of its history was based on chinampas, gardens floating on the lake's waters and tied to the island.

Drainage of Lake Chalco in the 19th and 20th century eventually destroyed the chinampas but the community is still agricultural in nature, despite being officially in the territory of Mexico City.

[1] San Andres Míxquic is best known for its Day of the Dead commemorations, which consist of both ritual and cultural events lasting from 31 October to 2 November.

In the pre-Hispanic period, Mixquic was a small island in Lake Chalco, around which the inhabitants built chinampas or floating gardens.

Originally the community was an independent dominion, but because of its location in prime chinampa territory, it was subsequently subdued by Xochimilco, Chalco, Azcapotzalco and finally Tenochtitlan.

Bernal Diaz del Castillo describes Mixquic in his True History of the Conquest of New Spain as full of white towers and temples and was initially named by the Spaniards “Venezuela” for its similarity to Venice.

This was later modified by 1860 due to the Reform Laws, in part to allow for the construction of the Cristóbal Colon Primary School and the Andrés Quintana Roo Library.

More private vehicles and more public transportation is available, leading more of the community's younger generation to seek employment in the city and/or further their education at university.

The archeological collection that the museum holds was donated by Socorro Bernal Roque, a native of the village.

Among the pieces that stand out are a chac mool, vestiges of a teotlachtli, clay and stone seals, a coiled serpent and other snakes, a tzompantli and a calendar that was hollowed out to make it into a baptismal font.

[9] In and around the cemetery, thousands of Mexican and international visitors experience the sights, sound and smells of the rituals, cultural events and stands selling food, crafts and other items.

[11] In addition to the traditional altars to the dead called “ofrendas”, grave cleanings and decoration, there are also plays, processions, poetry readings, concerts and folk dance.

For the most part, the ritual is a mixture of pre-Hispanic and Catholic rites, with the addition of photographs being a modern touch.

[12] One element that is local is a donut-shaped bread with a dark pink glaze called “roscas rosas” that are laid out along with pan de muertos.

There is also a contest among skulls that have been fabricated from cardboard, painted and inscribed with satire, tall tales and jokes.

A mock funeral procession comes through featuring a supposed widow who shouts picaresque phrases at the crowd about the loss of her husband being carried in a casket.

When they arrive to the graveyard, instead of burying the supposed husband, he jumps out of the coffin and runs off terrified among the crowd causing laughter.

Graves in the main cemetery, which surrounds the Church of San Andres Apostal, are decorated with flowers, especially cempasúchil, candles and other items.

[2] At this hour, the cemetery around the church is full of color from the flowers and glowing due to the light of thousands of burning candles and thick smoke from copal incense.

A large number of officers on foot and horseback were on patrol and extra equipment for traffic control was provided.