Danza de matachines. Estructura y función entre los rarámuri de la sierra Tarahumara

Introduced by the missionaries during the times of conquest, the Dance of Matachines is todaya deeply rooted custom among the Raramuri people, habitants of the Tarahumara Mountains,in the Southwest of the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. Since the beginning of the 17th Century tothe present time, this modality of dance has experienced numerous changes in its forms andits senses, and it maintains a very wide diversity in the different Raramuri communities. Thispaper is focus on the festive context where the Dance of Matachines take place, and also onthe structure and general functions performed by the dance. These aspects will lead to thecultural and historical trail of the dance, as well as the tradition reinvented aspects that itholds.