Mata Ortiz is a small village in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, less than from the US-Mexico border. The community is one of the designated localidades (localities) in the municipio libre (municipality) of Casas Grandes, one of several such pueblos in a wide, fertile valley long inhabited by indigenous people. Mata Ortiz is located at the base of a mountain known as El Indio and on the west bank of the Rio Palanganas, a tributary of the Rio Casas Grandes. The ancient ruins of Casas Grandes are located nearby. As of 2010, Mata Ortiz had a population of 1,182.
History
The town was originally established as “Pearson” during the Porfirio Díaz presidency in the late 19th century with its economy based on agriculture, timber, cattle and the nearby railroad. After the Mexican Revolution the town’s name was changed, to honor Juan Mata Ortiz, a local hero who fought against the Apaches in the 19th century. After the Revolution was in influx of people and land was redistributed under the ejido system, but many residents still relied on seasonal labor and work with the railroad to get by. Rail work ended in the 1960s when the repair yard was relocated to Nuevo Casas Grandes, leading to the town’s decline, which continued until the 1980s. The handicraft has raised living standards considerably in the municipality from the poverty of the early 1980s. The town has hosted a ceramics competition called the Concurso de Cerámica since 2008, now supported by FONART, and is a major handcrafts event in Mexico. Other support for artisans comes from other federal and state agency for supplies and training.