Matachines, New Mexico, identity, ethnicity, authenticity, hybridity

One of the principal themes in the study of Latin American catholicism is the question of the authenticity versus the syncretism of particular religious traditions. In our opinion, the dichotomy between the authentic and the syncretic is false and does not correspond with the meaning of those traditions as they are lived and experienced. Using as our case study the Matachines dance in New Mexico, we show that the key source of authenticity of a tradition is precisely its syncretism, wherein the creative spirit of the people who maintain the tradition is manifested.