Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial This Year?

Above, the 2018 Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Rodeo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As many are well aware, the 2020 Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial at Red Rock Park was canceled due to COVID-19, which wreaked havoc within the Navajo Nation (and among other tribes).

This year's Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial is questionable, at best. It is more to do with politics involving the state government's Tourism Department and Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham.

On the official Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Facebook page, a press release was posted on March 26 by the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Association Board. It explains what has been going on with the state government.

Here's the press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday March 26, 2021 1:00 pm MST

Since 1922, The Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial has endured countless obstacles such as the Great Depression, world wars, civil unrest, political turmoil, and even pandemics. One constant battle has been over the leadership of this world renowned event. For nearly a century the prepping and planning has been done by a local group of community members that put the event’s best interest first. This group became known as the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Association in 1939. Since then we have brought together our community’s prominent leaders, traders, collectors, artisans, and performers to produce an event that presents authentic Native American culture to the World.

For the past 14 months our board (Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Association) has been in talks with the New Mexico Tourism Department regarding Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Tourism Department wanting to fall in line with the “Ceremonial Act” which is a State Statute creating the “Intertribal Ceremonial Office” under the Tourism Department with the Governor appointing an executive director as well as an eight member advisory board. Under the Ceremonial Act, Intertribal Ceremonial Office and their board will plan and execute their Ceremonial event. We have asked countless questions to a few of the key figures within the Tourism Department as well as the Intertribal Ceremonial Office itself, however very few answers were given, if any.

In the beginning, we were open and even optimistic to a partnership with the State. However, after multiple meetings that have gone nowhere and many broken promises to be kept in the loop, it has been made very clear we have very different meanings of the word “partnership”.  Though we have agreed verbally to potentially collaborate, we are still working on an official working agreement for this year’s event. As negotiations are ongoing, we do not know what will become of our 2021 Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Association Event. We do know one thing, however, and that is that we owe this community the Ceremonial we’ve been building toward.

From our ticket takers to our event coordinators to our board members, we are a 100% volunteer driven organization. We cannot produce this magnificent event without the everyday people from our community that go above and beyond to make this event successful. The true stakeholders of this event are the jewelers, potters, painters, designers, dancers, singers, contestants, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, and spectators that have believed in us and supported us as we have rebuilt this event with the vision of the reaching the centennial and beyond. We want nothing more than to move forward cooperatively with the State of New Mexico, Tourism Department, and the Intertribal Ceremonial Office. After all, this event is not about us or them, it is about our native brothers and sisters that carry on and proudly showcase our heritage and customs which have kept this event alive for generations.

We, the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Association, will continue to fight for the Ceremonial Event our community knows and loves. We thank those that have reached out to express concern and offer support for the ongoing matter. Please follow our facebook page “Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial” and check our website www.GallupCeremonial.com for future updates on how we will move forward with the 2021 Ceremonial. Please continue safe practices, we thank you again for your continued support.

Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Association Board

Kyle Tom, President

I first got a hint of the problems involving the Association and the state during last month's dinner gathering at historian Martin Link's residence in Gallup. 

At that time, I posted the following: 

Speaking of the governor, people are up in arms over the desire of the state to take over the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial that is annually held at Red Rock Park. If the state takes it over, it will be a disaster. 

Yup! Leave it to Lujan Grisham to screw up more things in New Mexico.

So, as of now, it is not known if this year's Ceremonial will be held. Stay tuned!