The Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial

Baxter calls the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, held in Gallup, New Mexico, “a significant venue for the exhibition and sale of predominantly Southwestern Indian jewelry” (Baxter 2000, p. 60). The 1975 Turquoise Blue Book called it the “Kentucky Derby” of the Indian shows (Stacey 1975, p. 87).

Founding

Most of our books put the first Ceremonial in 1922. Baxter gives a day and a place: it “was held on September 28, 1922, at Lyon Memorial Park,” and in its early years it went by the name “Indian Pageant and Exposition” (Baxter 2000, p. 60). Dubin counts it among the organizations that have encouraged Indian art “since 1922” (Dubin 1999, p. 521), and June’s timeline also puts the first one in 1922 (June 2013, p. 15). Bahti gives a different year. In a bracket inside an artist’s quotation he writes “[the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial, established in 1926]” (Bahti 2007, p. 46). The books leave the two years side by side.

Ryan and Chambless disagree with themselves on the month. On one page the first Ceremonial “took place in September 1922” (Ryan & Chambless 2020, p. 46). On another, Mike Kirk proposed it in March 1922, “and in August of that year the first Ceremonial was held” (Ryan & Chambless 2020, p. 108). The same book also says the Santa Fe fair opened in early September, “narrowly beating out the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial as the oldest Native American art fair” (Ryan & Chambless 2020, p. 46). That claim depends on which month is right.

None of the books cited here says who “founded” it. Ryan and Chambless are the only ones who name anyone, and they describe the start two ways. On p. 46 the Gallup Chamber of Commerce, “In conjunction with the Kiwanis Club,” “appointed Mike Kirk as president of the first Inter-Tribal Ceremonial.” On p. 108 the first Ceremonial was “held with Mike Kirk spearheading the effort, supported by Joe Baldwin Tanner.” Their stories are on our pages The Kirk Brothers and Tanner’s Indian Arts.

Where and when

According to Baxter, “in 1975 the Ceremonial moved to new, permanent quarters at Red Rock State Park, five miles outside Gallup” (Baxter 2000, p. 60). Dubin also places it at Red Rock State Park, in August (Dubin 1999, p. 551). In Baxter’s words, it “currently occurs in mid-August” (Baxter 2000, p. 60).

The jewelry judging

Baxter describes the jewelry as judged in juried exhibitions: the “Jewelry and Flatware division” is “judged by a jury of experts,” winners get award ribbons, and the winning pieces go on view in the “Ceremonial Showroom” (Baxter 2000, p. 60). The 1975 Turquoise Blue Book mentions “Cash prizes, in addition to the purchase price” (Stacey 1975, p. 87).

The only entry rule printed in the books cited here dates from 1975. As of that year, the Turquoise Blue Book reported, entries had to be “completely handmade, and authenticated as to origin and quality,” and no machine-made beads, commercial findings or treated stones would be considered for judging (Stacey 1975, p. 87). None of them prints a later rule, or any rule about stamps or hallmarks.

Traders and artists

Baxter describes a market as well as a show: “Indoor and outdoor marketplaces allow visitors to buy jewelry and other crafts directly from native artists and from non-native traders” (Baxter 2000, p. 60). Dennis Edaakie, who sold work “to Leon and Ruth Ingram of Gallup,” recalled that it was Ruth who said, “If you make one we’ll enter it!” The cardinal he made “took first place” (Bahti 2007, p. 46).

Ryan and Chambless call it the showcase for Native American art “until the rise of the Santa Fe Indian Market in the 1970s” (Ryan & Chambless 2020, p. 108).

Prizes the books record

These are the awards as each book prints them. Where the books differ, both versions are shown.

• Preston Monongye received “the grand prize at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial” in 1966. In 1970 he won it again for a tufa-cast container, “the first fully cast container to be entered at the ceremonial.” In 1972 he “received top awards at the Gallup Ceremonial and the New Mexico State Fair for a 14k gold-cast squash blossom necklace” (Pardue 2007, pp. 30–31).
• Lee A. Yazzie’s “lapidary artistry and skill won the Grand Prize at the 1974 Gallup Ceremonials. The silver body was designed and cast by Preston Monongye” (Stacey 1975, p. 41).
• Raymond Yazzie won Best of Show at fourteen, and the three books that tell it give three versions. Schaaf: “At age of fourteen, Raymond collaborated with Lee on an inlaid concha belt that won Best of Show at the 1973 Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, NM” (Schaaf 2003, p. 332). Pardue: “That was in 1974” (Pardue 2007, pp. 118–119). Dubin gives no award year. Its caption says that when Raymond “designed and made this piece at the age of fourteen, he was the youngest Indian artist ever to win Best of Show at the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial,” and it credits “Overlay silverwork by Manuel Hoyungowa (Hopi),” dating the piece 1974 (Dubin 1999, p. 491). Dubin spells the name “Hoyungowa”; our directory lists him as Manuel Hoyungwa. Pardue adds a second Best of Show for Raymond in 1983, for a 14k gold bracelet (Pardue 2007, p. 119).
• Julian Lovato “entered first Gallup Inter-tribal Ceremonial in 1977 winning 3 1st prizes” (Schaaf 2003, p. 226).
• Edith Tsabetsaye’s Lone Mountain needlepoint necklace and earrings, made in 1990, “was the First Prize winner at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial that year” (Bassman & Bassman 2006, p. 61).
• Jesse Monongye’s reversible pendant “won First Prize, Best in Category, and Best in Class at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, New Mexico in 1993” (Bassman 1997, p. 48).
• Roman Ramoncito: “a very similar example by him won a prize at the 1958 Gallup Ceremonial” (Turnbaugh & Turnbaugh 2007, p. 53).

Sources

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