Research by Beth Slaine

A.               Intertribal

There are many different indigenous groups represented in Gallup. The most commonly known are the Navajo and Zuni tribes.  But other groups are also represented such as the Hopi and other Pueblo Indians.  Every August, the city of Gallup hosts the Intertribal Ceremonial.  It is the celebration of the similarities and differences of all native people that began in 1922. 

 

The various tribes in the area have influenced the development of Gallup.  Many of the restaurants specialize or serve native foods, there are galleries and stores that feature native art, and many of the cultural activities in the community focus on native cultures such as auctions and summer exhibitions of native dancing.

 

Since I do not live in Gallup, but in Arizona in the Navajo Nation, the greatest influence I see from Intertribal relationships is the Native American Church.  The Native American Church combines beliefs and symbols of various indigenous people. I spoke with the father of one of my students by phone.  He is a NAC Roadman.  This title allows him to oversee NAC ceremonies.  The goal of the NAC is reconcile the relationship between Native tradition and Christianity.  The NAC does not consider itself as a Christian organization.  There are NAC members all over the United States.

 

 

B.  Web Sites that relate to Intertribal information in Gallup.

 

http://www.gallupnm.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=about.home

 

http://www.ci.gallup.nm.us/rrsp/00182_redrock.html

 

Pictures online of last yearÕs Ceremonial

 

http://www.zigamorph.net/photos/ceremonial

 

Site for dancers who appear at the Ceremonial

 

http://www.radlhammer.com/pictures/crown.htm

 

Web Sites on the Native American Church

 

http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/nam/nac.html

 

www.csp.org/communities/docs/fikes-nac_history.html

 

www.well.com/user/dpd/nachurch.html

 

Songs of the NAC

 

www.coolrunningsmusic.com/NAC.html