Do you see anything in the images here that would support that idea (choose 1-2 images)? What do you think the author means by 'merging their indigenous practices with Islam?' That is, can 'Islam' be separated from other components of culture in this setting?

   I chose the picture of the woman standing with her three daughters in front of a waterfall, and she is also the Imam of one of the mosques in Chiapas. The author says "in Chiapas, 400 Mexicans are building a new identity by merging their indigenous practices with Islam." I thought it meant they started absorbed Islam as the part of their identities while they maintained their traditions of Chiapas. That is, they would rather partly introduce Islam teachings to their life than follow the Muslims' traditions. On the picture I chose, the author described that the mother is also the Imam.  I was surprised to see that because I thought in the Islamic tradition, always men have succeeded positions of Imam. But I could easily find the woman Imam and I guessed they didn't pay attention to the other Muslim traditions around the world and  didn't care if a woman would become their Imam in Chiapas. It should be the breaking of the Islamic tradition if a woman become Imam in the Islamic state that historically have many Muslims there. 

   I don't think that Islam can be separated from other components of culture in this Chiapas setting. The reason is New Mexican Muslims in Chiapas seem to introduce some Islamic stuff in order to refine their identity by practicing specific rituals or prayer, in addition, they choose what to introduce in their life all the time considering their indigenous practices, such as the case of hijab, where they can easily adapt hijab since the indigenous women have wrapped their heads with scarves, or the case of Sacrifice Feast, where ancient Mayans used to have a sacrifice rite as well even though there is a big difference about sacrificed eligible. I think they are merely trying to introduce Islam and apply it as the part of their culture, thus Islam shouldn't be separated from other components of culture in this setting because for them Islam should be thought as the part of culture.