On May 16th and 17th New Mexico Arts, a division of New Mexico's Department of Cultural Affairs sponsored the first Gathering of Matachines at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. This historic event was organized by Claude Stephenson, the New Mexico state folklorist. Dr. Stephenson brought together Matachine groups from throughout the Southwest. The groups that particpated were the Raramuri from the Sierra Madre in Mexico, the Yaqui from Tucson, Arizona and from New Mexico the groups were from Alcalde, Bernalillo, Cochiti, Jemez, Picuris, Tijeras and Tortugas. The Matachine dance is a sacred dance which is usually performed in December for Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Christmas season or feast days. The participants in this dance are the danzantes (the dancers), the Monarca (the leader of the danzantes), the Malinche (a young girl dressed in white), the Abuela (the grandmother, usually a man dressed as a woman), the abuelo (the grandfather who gives orders) and a Toro (a young boy dressed as a bull). The music for the dancers is made up of violins and guitars.