Mystery dance in New Mexico

Published: Friday, May 16, 2008 12:03 a.m. MDT
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This Dec. 28, 2003, image provided by New Mexico Arts shows a Matachines dancer performing in Alcalde, N.M. The ancient and colorful Matachines dance is a fixture in small villages and is depicted on Indian pueblos. The dance has been performed for centuries. But familiar as it is to generations of New Mexicans, its meaning and origin remain shrouded in uncertainty. Some believe, however, that the dance symbolizes the battle between good and evil.

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This Dec. 28, 2003, image provided by New Mexico Arts shows a Matachines dancer performing in Alcalde, N.M. The ancient and colorful Matachines dance is a fixture in small villages and is depicted on Indian pueblos. The dance has been performed for centuries. But familiar as it is to generations of New Mexicans, its meaning and origin remain shrouded in uncertainty. Some believe, however, that the dance symbolizes the battle between good and evil. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Claude Stephenson, New Mexico Arts)
AP Photo/Courtesy of Claude Stephenson, New Mexico Arts
This Dec. 28, 2003, image provided by New Mexico Arts shows a Matachines dancer performing in Alcalde, N.M. The ancient and colorful Matachines dance is a fixture in small villages and is depicted on Indian pueblos. The dance has been performed for centuries. But familiar as it is to generations of New Mexicans, its meaning and origin remain shrouded in uncertainty. Some believe, however, that the dance symbolizes the battle between good and evil.