 |
| Above, a tee pee set up near the exhibit hall's entrance. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Yesterday morning, I attended the 2025 Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial at Red Rock Park.
First, I went to the rodeo arena to watch women's barrel racing and, later, the calf take-down event. It was sunny and hot, so I limited myself to about an hour and a half out in the sun.
 |
| Above, yours truly at the rodeo arena. |
Afterwards, I went inside the events center to view the art show. I was surprised that it was limited to just one large room (ballroom-sized) with no exhibits in smaller rooms. There was also very few rug displays that were a highlight in past years. It was mainly paintings, pottery, kachina dolls and jewelry.
The artwork ranged from kids art to adults. One painting was with a Godzilla theme called "Cheiizilla". In Navajo language, here is what cheii means:
In the Navajo (Diné) language, "Cheii" (pronounced "ch-ee-ee") translates to "grandfather" or "maternal grandfather". It specifically refers to the mother's father, according to Navajo tradition. The term is also used to refer to the horned toad, which is considered a spiritual grandfather figure in Navajo culture.
A photo of the painting is below.
Outside, there were some vendors, mainly food and drinks. There were very few vendors selling Native American goods. That was a disappointment.
Anyway, it was good to get out and wander the Ceremonial. It goes on to August 10.
Some photos:
