Authenticity

Determining whether something is authentic can be extremely difficult due to its multiple definitions. Authenticity to the original varies in levels which depend on the similarities to the original style. In this scenerio, the term original refers to "that from which a copy, reproduction, or translation is made, meaning something done firsthand" (Original 2009). For example when dealing with lyrics, "stripping away sound and staging, like so much husk, one can finally arrive at the kernel of authenticity that lies inside" (Washabaugh 2009). The more similar a song is to the original, the more it is authentic to the original. Therefore, when a song is less similar to the original, the song's authenticity is stronger to its own.

It becomes extremely important to determine the level of authenticity, especially as original cultural practices experience a greater risk of extinction. The greater the alteration, the probability of the original diminishing altogether increases as well. The authenticity of a song, a food item or a dance performance gives the individuals "authentic to the style" the right to claim it their own. A writer who writes the original lyrics to a song owns its most authentic form. A style of flamenco music that is 100% authentic to the original belongs to the group of people who created it. By defining authenticity in such a way, we can conclude that all the performance clips of Flamenco are authentic to the original to an extent. The clips that are less similar to the original performances of Flamenco are more authentic to their own style.


ORIGINAL. (2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

Washabaugh, William. Flamenco Nation. 2009. Chapter Two: The Style.