Journey gallup
The Free Community Magazine
2023 December #233
Happy Holidays from the staff at Rico Auto Complex!
CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH EXCEPTIONAL OFFERS ON THE GMC LINEUP.
220 S. FIFTH • GALLUP, NEW MEXICO 87301 (505) 722-2271 • www.ricoautocomplex.com
VISIT US AT THE TRAIN STATIO N IN JULY
Gallup’s “Best Sandwich”
Gallup’s “Best Bakery”
GCC student art show coming in 2024!
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The University of New Mexico-Gallup is now hiring temporary part-time faculty to teach in-person for the Spring 2024 semester.
What’s your big why?
“To encourage critical thinking and exploration by challenging ideas and discovering truth.” - Brittany Babycos, UNM-Gallup Psychology Adjunct
Apply now: Please visit our website at gallup.unm.edu/hr to find current job openings and apply. Contact us: 505-863-7605 or 505-863-7557 UNM-Gallup Human Resources 705 Gurley Ave. Gallup, N.M., 87301
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Thoughts From The West End
Just last week, I heard a peculiar tale that all of us locals have heard many times before. They say Bigfoot was spotted again, this time wandering through the dense woods of the Chuska Mountains. The story came from a reliable source – one of my neighbor’s cousin’s best friend’s – who swears he saw a giant, shadowy figure lumbering through the trees. Intrigued and a bit skeptical, I set out to gather more intel. My journey took me to a Maria’s downtown, where over a steaming cup of coffee, I rendezvoused with an old buddy. He’s the kind who always has an ear to the ground for the strange and unexplainable. Before I could even mention Bigfoot, he leaned in, eyes wide with excitement. “You won’t believe what happened at McGaffey Campground the other night,” he whispered. Apparently, at the stroke of three in the morning – the witching hour, as some might say – he witnessed something extraordinary. A bright, unidentified 6
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flying object, zipping across the starlit sky, performing aerial acrobatics that would make any pilot envious. Now, I’ve always been a feet-firmly-on-theground kind of person, but his conviction had me rethinking the existence of the extraordinary. Could our tranquil New Mexican landscapes be a hotspot for intergalactic tourists and elusive forest giants? I left Maria’s with more questions than answers. Was Bigfoot just taking a leisurely stroll in the Chuska Mountains? Or perhaps, was he trying to catch a glimpse of the extraterrestrial spectacle over the Zuni Mountains? The possibilities are as vast as our New Mexico skies. So, if you find yourself gazing up at the stars or wandering through our mystical mountains, keep your eyes and mind open. You never know what wonders you might encounter in the Land of Enchantment. Jpa-
sudoku When you finish these puzzles, bring them to our office at 210 E. Aztec Ave, оr take a pic with your phone and email it to gallupjourney@gmail.com. Don’t forget to include your name.
November Master Finishers Pat Lewis Pepita Maureen Bia DK & Footies H. St. Pierre Thomas Gomez Kameron Olguin Sarah Landavazo Steph J 2Quick4u! Richard L. Jay Vink Stephen Mahnke Elmer Williams N.T.N. Jaye Smith Chei-Ann Manygoats
Shelly DOMA Christina Ashley Mitch Alberta Kallestewa Shane A. Pinto E Skeet R Morris LaRoy Cisco Brandon Utley S Nez Jessica Quicero Gina Willetto Mush Charley Benally Michael Skeets Scott Armstrong
Contents 20 12 22 26 28 34
Ways to Enjoy the 42nd Annual Balloon Rally Gallup’s Grocer John Lewis Taylor 8 Questions for Erlinda’s Tamale Express Winter Reading Michele Laughing Reeves Walking in Beauty Event Calendar
Thanks to our Contributors this month John Lewis Taylor Erlinda’s Tamale Express Michele Laughing Reeves Richard Reyes Kenneth Riege Matthew Tafoya
Don Richards Publishers: Daisy & Jason Arsenault Chuck & Jenny Van Drunen Art Director: Christine Carter
38 42 46 48 50 54 56
Watchman Weaves UNM into His Life Richard Reyes The Christmas Truce of 1914 Kenneth Riege Q & A for Matthew Tafoya People Reading Personal Research of Concha Belts Don Richards Marketing Ideas from an Accountant Jason Arsenault, CPA Day Trip to Pie Town
Do you have a cool local story you want to share with the Journey? Send your story to gallupjourney@gmail.com
Gallup Journey Magazine 505-722-3399 • 210 E. Aztec Ave. • PO Box 2187 gallupjourney.com • gallupjourney@gmail.com Cover Photo: Vanessa Duckett
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December 2023 Issue #233 All Rights Reserved. No articles, photos, illustrations, advertisements, or design elements may be used without expressed written permission from the publisher, Gallup Journey Inc. This publication is distributed with the understanding that the information presented is from many sources, for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to accuracy, originality, or completeness. It is distributed with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in making product endorsements, recommending health care or treatments, providing instruction, or recommending that any reader participate in any activity or behavior described in the publication. The opinions of the contributors to this publication belong to them and do not reflect the opinions of the editors or publishers.
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1 FAMILY FIESTA: Gather the whole family for a festive day filled with hot air balloons, starting with a hearty breakfast burrito.
2 BALLOON EXTRAVAGANZA: Enjoy the magic of hot air balloons in the morning and a mesmerizing balloon glow at night—an all-day adventure!
3 BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS: Capture the beauty of the balloons and share your favorite moments on social media. Spread the joy!
4 ART EXPLORATION: Immerse yourself in Native American art galleries in Gallup. Discover the vibrant cultural tapestry of the region.
5 RED ROCKS HIKE: Embark on a scenic hike up the red rocks for panoramic views that will take your breath away.
6 PILOT ENCOUNTER: Strike up a conversation and meet a hot air balloon pilot. Discover the passion behind the flights.
7 MASS ASCENSION MARVEL: Don’t miss the mass ascension—the sky filled with balloons is a sight to behold. 8
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8 UP IN THE AIR ADVENTURE: Take your excitement to new heights by buying a hot air balloon ride. It’s a bucket-list experience!
9 CHASE CREW CHALLENGE: Join a chase crew and become part of the ballooning action. It’s an adventure on the ground.
10 CHRISTMAS PARADE SPECTACLE: Join the festive atmosphere and view the Christmas parade sponsored by the City of Gallup and Chamber of Commerce.
11 PICNIC WITH A VIEW: Pack a picnic and enjoy a meal with a stunning view of the balloons as they take flight.
12 PYRAMID PEAK PANORAMA: During downtime, take the Pyramid Peak Trail for a stunning view overlooking Gallup and the balloon field. It’s a breathtaking perspective.
13 HISTORIC HOTEL HAVEN: Step back in time at the historic El Rancho Hotel. Explore the halls where Hollywood legends once roamed.
14 BALLOON FIELD SYMPHONY: Wander through the take-off field and listen to the symphony of balloons filling with hot air. It’s a melody of adventure.
15 DISCOVER THE SPECIAL SHAPED BALLOONS: See if you can find the giant hummingbird.
16 PARTY CENTRAL: Bring your friends and turn it into a ballooning party. The more, the merrier!
17 HISTORIC DRIVE: Cruise down historic Route 66, marveling at the iconic landscapes that have inspired generations.
18 CHRISTMAS COMBO DELIGHT: Savor the holiday spirit with a Christmas-style combination plate at one of our many local favorite restaurants!
19 VETERAN’S MEMORIAL VISIT: Take a moment of reflection at the veteran’s memorial in the courthouse walkway. Honor those who served.
20 PLAN YOUR TRIP FOR NEXT YEAR!! December 2023
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Gallup Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division was recognized recently for its efforts to address fraud schemes targeting Indigenous communities. At the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association’s award ceremony, held Nov. 7 in Dallas, Tx., Lt. Anthony Seciwa and Sgt. Andrea Tsosie were recognized for the Division’s efforts to address “sober home” fraud schemes. The NHAFA recognized the “exemplary efforts and remarkable collaboration” of the GPD, Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and Federal Bureau of Investigations with the 2023 Excellence in Public Awareness Award. “Gallup has incredible men and women working to protect our community, and it is great to see their hard work recognized at the national level,” GPD Chief Erin Toadlena Pablo said. “Our department has closely collaborated with our partners in law enforcement to respond to this emerging issue and we are dedicated to continuing this work to keep our community and neighbors safe.” The award recognizes that police officers from Gallup were the first to notify the FBI Albuquerque Field Office of unhoused Indigenous persons disappearing from the community. Investigations held by the GPD and its law enforcement partners revealed the people were being “targeted, recruited, and transported” to Arizona, where they were promised treatment and support in sober houses. The scheme involved billing for services that were not rendered. “Our department has been at the forefront of working to prevent and investigate these cases,” Chief Pablo said, referencing the department’s involvement in the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative launched by the FBI in 2022. “We actively engage with families, community members and a wide range of organizations to provide tips and information to prevent these unfortunate situations before they happen.” The award recognizes that the GPD, FBI, and Navajo Nation DPS collectively worked to promote public awareness around these issues through use of websites, social media campaigns, briefings, reports, surveys, trainings and significant face-toface engagement with communities. The GPD and its partners continue to investigate cases of missing persons and health care fraud schemes. If you would like more information about how to protect yourself and loved ones, or where to report suspicious information, please contact Metro Dispatch at 505-722-2002 or Number 988.
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Wishing You a Merry Christmas from the Baca Family & Staff 801 West Historic Route 66 505-722-5517
What’s Under Your Tree?
Ask Us About Gift Cards and Lay-A-ways! 606 E. Hwy 66 505-863-9377
111 N. Third Street 505-863-4448 December 2023
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Gallup’s Grocer By John Lewis Taylor Previously published in La Cronica, a publication of the Historical Society of New Mexico
seized the opportunity for economic betterment and emigrated to the United States. The preponderance of emigres planned to return to their homeland once they Gallup, New Mexico, had made enough money to surprisingly, has a wideafford a family. However, range of ethnic diversity. most would stay in the Not only those found in United States and seek the most of the Southwest, “American Dream.” but many groups from Basilio Di Gregorio came eastern and southern from the hardscrabble region European nationalities. of Abruzzo, Italy where life Gallup was established was as hard as the winters. in 1881, as an endIn the early years of the 20th of track settlement century, the small village of by the Atlantic and Cansano in Abruzzo offered Pacific railroad, whose few educational, social and paymaster, David Gallup, economic opportunities. located his office near a Basilio sailed for America stagecoach stop on the in 1928, at the age of fifteen. Beale’s Road known as With vision, hard work, and the Blue Goose Saloon. luck he built a retail empire Gallup with its many in this dusty little town in saloons, poolrooms, northwestern New Mexico. and bawdy houses Basilio’s father, Giuseppe became a “rip roaring” was the first to come to frontier town. The America, leaving his home “toughest town on the village of Cansano in 1892, Santa Fe” according to and finding work as a coal Basilio Di Gregorio in front of his first store, historian Helen Airy. miner in Trinidad, Colorado. California Market, located on 406 West Coal Ave. By 1891, Gallup was While in Colorado, he ca. 1939 incorporated as a city became an American and in 1895, it became citizen. This would allow few American miners who wished to the terminal for the his family to emigrate to relocate to the Southwest. To meet the Santa Fe railroad. Gallup became the United States and not be subject need for workers, the mine owners known as a “hurry up town’’ a town to the immigration quota restrictions recruited in the mining regions of eager to grow and prosper. Business imposed by Congress at various Europe. would bring prosperity to Gallup. Its times in the early Twentieth-century. New Mexico became a favored location on the railroad and near the Using their father’s citizenship as an destination for miners, because Navajo Reservation and Zuni Pueblo advantage, several of Giuseppe’s sons: New Mexico mining companies established it as trade center for the Giovanni, Donato, and Germano, aggressively recruited skilled workers. region. But it was its deposits of Giuseppe’s older sons joined their Experienced coal miners, often picked coal that made the area a center for father in the mines, first in Colorado up handbills in their home villages, immigration. and then in New Mexico. promising high paying jobs in the coal American mining companies Basilio did not plan to journey mines of Gallup, New Mexico. Many sought skilled workers, but found to Gallup or even to New Mexico
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Basilio’s second store, California Supermarket, located on 308 West Coal Ave. ca. 1949 when he departed Cansano in 1928. He met with his older brothers and similar to the migrant workers of today, followed work wherever they could find it. Following family leads, Basilio traveled to Trinidad, Colorado. Before leaving Italy, he became engaged to Oliva DeSantis over the objections of her mother Anastasia, but Basilio had the support of her father Salvatore. Salvatore had worked in the mines of Colorado, but had returned to Italy to fight in World War I. He liked Basilio because he was a hard worker. Shortly after the engagement,
Basilio left for America. Oliva was left in Cansano to await his return. When he arrived in the United States, Basilio found work in New York City and then crisscrossed the country working various construction jobs. Until he arrived in Trinidad, Colorado and began working as a miner, before moving to New Mexico. In 1932, Basilio had the resources to return to Cansano and marry his fiancée, Oliva. Soon after the marriage ceremony, he returned to the United States while Oliva remained in Italy. Basilio thought about staying in Italy after his marriage, but his mother, Nunziata De Santis Di
Gregorio, encouraged him to return to the United States. She feared that with the Fascist party in power, and even though Basilio was an American citizen, he might be drafted into the Italian army. Nunziata was certain that Benito Mussolini would steer Italy into a war. Basilio took his mother’s advice. But, upon his return to the United States, he found the country in the grips of the great depression. He again obtained employment in New York City, doing what he called later, “pick and shovel” work. He was glad to get the fifteen cents an hour, the going wage at the time for a construction worker. Gaining enough funds in New York, Basilio was able to return to New Mexico to join other family members in Gamerco, a company coal town just north of Gallup. Basilio became an excellent miner, known for his ability to load coal. The various coal companies held field days on holidays, such as the Fourth of July, to display the skills of their employees. In 1935, Basilio was selected to join his brothers in a miners’ field day sponsored by the Gallup American Coal Company (Gamerco). Several mining companies sent their best crews and people came from all over to watch, it was a big several-day event. There were contests for each of the major mining job skills, first aid teams, timber crews, and coal loaders. Basilio and his brother Donato, entered the coal loader event against fifteen other teams. Each team of two miners had their own empty coal car and a two-ton pile of coal to shovel into the car. The team that finished first was the winner. When the boss blew the whistle, everyone shoveled as fast as they could. The Di Gregorio brothers out did all the other teams to win the coal loading competition. Loading over 4,000 pounds of coal in four-and-one-half minutes. Basilio said in an interview in 1994, that he remembered that the prize was
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Basilio awards a winning customer a toaster in the White King Soap contest. One of may contests held at the California Supermarket. ca. 1950s ten dollars, but the real joy was in the winning. The local newspaper reported that the brothers loaded the two tons of coal in less time than it takes for the average man to get a bucketful for his kitchen range. The Gallup Independent went on to note: “Amid cheers of countrymen, Dan De Gregorio, 33, and Basilio De Gregorio, 24, brothers earrled (sic) the banner of Italian-American coal leaders to victory and a $10 prize.” That field day and coal loading contest has become legend in Gallup. A mural on Gallup’s City Hall depicting the town’s history and culture, includes Basilio and Donato’s image in gray silhouette loading coal. In the coal loading contest, Basilio proved himself a “crackerjack” miner. Then, an accident in the mines sidelined him. He was given a part-time job in the company store until he was fit enough to return to
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underground work. Basilio liked store work, stocking the shelves, serving the public, and keeping the books. The store job gave him time to reflect on his and his family’s future and he came to realize that there was little opportunity in remaining a wage laborer. He had saved over $1,000 and planned to invest $500 of it in opening a grocery store. Basilio reasoned that a grocery store was a good bet, because everyone has to eat. And he said in later years, “ If my business fails, I can always go back to pick and shovel work.” In 1939, to house his new enterprise, Basilio rented a small building at 406 West Coal Avenue, now the location of Jerry’s Café, a popular restaurant in Gallup, for thirty-five dollars a month. With Dan Liberty, a friend who had a truck, drove to California to buy produce to start the new store. He named his
business, California Market based on a suggestion from his wife Oliva, because Basilio and Dan Liberty had driven to California to start the store. The first few months of the store sales were slow. In the early days of the business, Basilio sold grapes and other fruit from a pushcart on the streets of Gallup. Basilio noted that one day total sales were only $7.42, all in coins-no bills! Business got better and he was able to buy a refrigerated meat case for $600, paying $50 down and followed by small monthly payments. Basilio continued to build and expand his business. In the early 1940s, Basilio DiGregorio added a partner, fellow Italian immigrant and ex-miner, Dan Di Pomazio. In 1944, they bought the San Juan Grocery on “Front Street” (212 West 66). Dan managed the California Market and Basilio managed the San Juan Grocery Store.
Little League Baseball White Sox sponsored by California Supermarket. Adults are Basilio Di Gregorio and team Coach Wille Fatur. ca. 1960s More partners were added and the business began to grow. The business was growing and also Basilio and Oliva’s family. In addition to Nicolina (Nicki) born in Italy and Joseph (Joe) born soon after the family arrived in Gallup, two more daughters were added Jeanette and Elizabeth. All four children grew up in the stores, each had jobs, and each was expected to work and help build the business. At this time, both Dan and Basilio started a tradition of hiring people from Italy, primarily from Cansano, Abruzzo, to work in the stores: many remained in Gallup and became successful business people in their own right. Later, the partners saw an opportunity to increase their market share when the Your Food Stores moved into both Gallup and Grants. At this time, Indian Trader, John
W. Kennedy became involved in the grocery business when Basilio, Dan Di Pomazio and Henry Balocca (another investor) asked him to buy and operate the two Your Food Stores. Seeking to expand their business, the partners bought land on Coal Avenue and Fourth Street in Gallup from businessman George Bubany. At this location, 308 West Coal Avenue, Basilio built a new store and closed the store on 406 Coal Avenue. He christened his new store the California Supermarket. Both Dan and Basilio managed the 6,000 square foot “big store” and hired Concetto Di Giacomo (Basilio’s brother-in-law) to manage the San Juan Grocery. Ultimately, Kennedy sold the two Your Food Stores and opened an Indian Jewelry business in the basement of the California Supermarket. This business was
known as D&B Curio (Dan and Basilio) and employed many Navajo and Zuni craftsmen. The three partners, Basilio Di Gregorio, Dan Di Pomazio, Henry Balocca, added Charles Vidal Jr. and Robert Rogers and with their help, were able to acquire enough capital to open another store on the east side of Gallup. As early as 1952, Basilio believed that Gallup would grow out in all directions and become one of the greatest towns in the Southwest, and as it grows, Basilio thought, the eastside of Gallup, would need an expanded area for retail stores. He dreamed of locating a shopping center to provide for a growing community. The Uptown plaza opened in 1957, on 1120 East Highway 66, housing not only a supermarket and bakery, but also several other stores including a
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music and record store, a Sprouse Ritz variety store and a branch location of the Merchants’ Bank. The Uptown Plaza was Gallup’s first shopping mall. Basilio realized his dream and the store’s tag line “The Stores that Grew with Gallup” was born. Basilio did not limit his vision to the retail sector, he invested in several banks and other leading institutions all over New Mexico, knowing that sound banks would help the development of communities. He also bought property in Gallup, betting on the growth of the area. These investments help Basilio to diversify his income. In 1966, the Downtown Supermarket was relocated to the former site of the Gallup Catholic school at Fourth and Aztec. Basilio and his son Joseph negotiated a forty-year lease with the bishop of the Diocese of Gallup. He cleared the property and built a new facility to include several stores that would appeal to local and reservation shoppers. Now, there were two California Supermarkets, Downtown/ Superama and Uptown. Basilio never forgot his humble beginnings and the importance of building a bond with the community. Gallup has a diverse population and California Markets believed in providing quality merchandise at the best price possible. Basilio also believed in building customer loyalty and this is was a two-way street. In the 1960s, for many in the community, especially for Navajo and Zuni customers credit was difficult to obtain. Except for the few who worked for the railroad or a government agency most were ranchers or had only seasonal employment. Few had street address or post office boxes, instead receiving their mail at the local trading post. Only a small number of merchants, other than Indian traders were willing to give credit. Basilio had no credit cap in his stores. He gave credit without regard to ethnic background. Basilio knew that credit was important to the development of the community. As
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Downtown Plaza’s landmark neon whirligig sign a matter of policy, all applications for credit went to Basilio for review. Basilio would then, almost always, approve credit to native customers. He knew that if he trusted his customers to pay their bills they would. This trustful relationship was common among the Italian merchants of Gallup. Enrico Menapace, whose parents immigrated from the Tyrol region of Italy, and owner of the Rico Motor Company, sold many pick-up trucks and other vehicles to Navajo and Zuni buyers on only a handshake.
He took payment in sheep, cattle, and rugs if his customers could not come up with a cash payment. Retired Gallup business owner, Barbara Stanley, said in an interview, “ That it was these old Italian guys, like Basilio, Rico, and others, because they gave credit to Indian people and treated them fairly, that made Gallup the favored border town for reservation shoppers.” It was natural, she said, for Italians to trust people. They did not do this to build good race relations, they just looked upon trust
Downtown Plaza in the 1970s as a part of sound business practices. This relationship, Stanley said, was not found in other border towns.” The merchants of Gallup knew that they had to provide products that meet the needs of their customers, especially those coming into town from the Navajo Nation. Stores carried Blue Bird flour and canned meats, such as Spam and other Hormel items. Food stores also carried non-foods such as hardware, clothing, and kerosene lamps, all to meet the needs of their shoppers. The Di Gregorio stores also made sure to hire Native Americans as part of their workforce. Including those in skilled crafts such as butchers and bakers. By the 1970s, Basilio played a leadership role in the grocery industry in the Southwest. In 1972, he was elected to the board of directors of the Associated Grocers. Basilio, after years of working in the system, developed an intuitive understanding of the American food distribution system. Local historian, Sally Noe remarked that Basilio represented the “golden age of Gallup business.” Basilio’s inclusion as a legendary entrepreneur in Gallup, was due to
the efforts of many. In keeping with Italian-tradition the family and the stores were one. The stores were part of the family and everyone, regardless of generation had a role in the business. From the age of ten, a grandson recalled, everyone worked in the stores. Bagging groceries, collecting and counting coins from the gumball machines, sweeping and clean-up, wrangling shopping carts in the parking lots were after-school and weekend jobs for teenagers. The older generation played much larger roles, daughter Nicki was the account and credit manager and her husband Jimmy Seay managed the meat departments, son Joe, after returning from college managed the Uptown Plaza. Joe’s wife Christine was the Human Resources Director for the business. Concetto Di Giacomo, Oliva’s sister Helen’s husband, managed one of the California Markets. Others who were family members or paesani from Cansano worked in the stores and some would later open business of their own. Oliva was the heart and soul of the family and the family encompassed the business and the community.
She was a very strong woman with a magnetic and charming personality, expressed in her bright green eyes. In many ways she was ahead of her time, she advised a daughter that women can be bosses too. She loved to tell stories, write poetry, and cook. Oliva hosted dinners for the family and contacts and clients for the businesses. She was not passive in her support of the family and the community. Oliva gave support to those who needed it. Basilio Di Gregorio became active in the service and business sector of Gallup as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Elks Lodge, and the Rotary Club. Basilio was also one of the founders of the GallupMcKinley County Chamber of Commerce and was responsible for locating the Chamber’s building on Route 66 along the Santa Fe Railroad tracks. The goal of the Chamber is to promote the economic growth of Gallup and the surrounding region. This included local arts and developing the tourist trade. During his term as president of the Chamber, Basilio worked with the Warner Brothers Company to bring the
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filming of the movie A Distant Trumpet to Gallup. In March of 1963, in a news story in the Clovis News Journal, he said that the movie industry may help with the regions unemployment problem and that the Chamber would work in every way possible for Gallup to return as a base of operations for Hollywood productions as it had been in the 1930s and 40s; the era of the Western film in Hollywood. The film A Distant Trumpet, starring Troy Donahue and Suzanne Pleshette, began filming in the Gallup area and Arizona’s Painted Desert in September of 1963. It became one of director Raoul Walsh’s classic Westerns and is also remembered for the ad lib dialogue of several Navajo actors. In addition to taking part in national service clubs and business organizations the Di Gregorio family were active in Italian American societies. Gallup had several Italian organizations: Principe Luigi Lodge, Forestieri (La Foresta), Socicta Regina Elena (Queen Helen) Sorelle di Colombo and the Lega Abruzzese. The primary purpose of these fraternal organizations was to perpetuate the unique heritage of the Italian people and to provide a culturally safe meeting place. The largest of which was the Principe Luigi Lodge no. 76, established in Gallup in 1896, by coal miners. The organizations also served as a forum to honor members of the Italian American community and to maintain links to Italy. The Italian Consulate often sent representatives to Gallup to honor prominent citizens and to encourage and reinforce an Italian identity. In April of 1975, Italian Consulate General, Vittorio Farinelli came to a reception sponsored by the Prince Luigi Lodge where he presented the prestigious II Cavalleria award to Basilio Di Gregorio for his efforts to help Italian immigrants adjust to life in the United States. Basilio Di Gregorio did not limit his
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vision to the retail sector, he invested in Western Banks and other leading institutions all over New Mexico, knowing that sound banks would help the development of communities. He also bought property in Gallup, betting on the growth of the area. These investments help Basilio to diversify his income. The Western Bank, arranged loans to working families that they may invest in home ownership. He also helped homesite builders by loaning them money to develop housing areas. An area known as “Mortgage Hill” was one of the first post-war suburban neighborhoods in Gallup. Basilio Di Gregorio as a successful businessman and a major employer in the community was often asked his advice on local matters that effected the economy of the region. Soon his advice was sought in political matters. Basilio did not seek office himself, except for one unsuccessful campaign for Treasurer of Gallup, but advised others and at times enlisted candidates. He convinced his godson, Steven Kennedy, to run for the New Mexico House of Representatives. Steven was elected and served for several terms. In part, the Di Gregorio family became prominent in New Mexico and national politics due to their relationship with the Domenici family. Cherubino and Alba (Vichi) Domenici immigrated from Modena, Italy to New Mexico in the early years of the twentieth century. Cherubino opened the Montezuma Grocery with his brother Antonio in Albuquerque. The business grew into a wholesale operation and young Pete took on the task of making deliveries to stores all over the state. One store he enjoyed stopping at was the California Market in Gallup. The deliveries to the Gallup store were made pleasant for the teenage future senator, by the kindness of Oliva Di Gregorio. Domenici remarked in later years, that Oliva always had a snack ready for him when he made
a delivery. Oliva became a friend of Pete’s mother Alba and the two families visited each other often. When Pete became involved in New Mexico politics, the Di Gregorio family supported him. When he ran for the United States Senate in 1992, Basilio a registered Democrat, helped to form “Democrats for Domenici” and build support and raised funds for Pete’s campaign. Not to be outdone, Oliva joined with Alba Domenici to turn out the vote. In 1985, Basilio’s grandson, Joseph Patrick served as an intern on the senator’s staff in Washington, D.C. Basilio came from an economic and social system in rural Italy that was little changed since from feudal times. He came to the United States with very little and while advancing himself, brought others to American and gave them employment and helped them to establish themselves. Basilio worked not only for the good of his family and business but also for the community. Through his role in banking, home loans were increased and small business were able to be established in many communities. He worked with other merchants to build the tourist and movie industry in the region. Basilio and Oliva were believers in the American democratic political system and encouraged citizen to vote and make their views known. Basilio during an interview with a Gallup Independent reporter in September of 1966, on the occasion of the opening of the Downtown Plaza shopping center, was asked, “What did he think was the reasons for his families, success in America.” He summed up the factors for his and many other immigrant family’s abilities in obtaining the American Dream by saying, “Hard work and the help of God.” Basilio Di Gregorio died in 2001 at the age of 88. Oliva died in 2003 at the age of 87. The business remained in the family after Basilio’s death. All images courtesy of Joe Di Gregorio
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Rio West Mall is open Christmas eve Dec. 3 - Dec. 24
Hours will be posted on Facebook and at the Santa Set
Dec. 24th from 9am-6pm Department Store hours may vary
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For Erlinda's Tamale Xpress 1.Could you share the story behind Erlinda’s Tamales and how it inspired you to start Erlinda’s Tamale Xpress? Erlinda’s Tamales was started by my great grandparents, Juan and Tina Cabrera. They lived in a house in sky city and began making and selling tamales in order to make ends meet. Each of his daughters began helping as the tamales caught on and demand increased. As business grew, the State of New Mexico required them to move to an indoor facility from the outdoor screened porch they were using in Sky City. This is when they revised building plans on what was supposed to be a garage on 3rd street where my grandmother and grandfather, Simon and Erlinda Gutierrez, lived. The tamale shop was moved to 3rd Street. When Grandpa Juan became elderly and incapable of carrying on, he decided to pass the business to his daughter Erlinda. My Grandma Erlinda and her sisters continued to work and help the business grow and sustain. When Erlinda and Simon passed away, the tamale shop went to their eldest daughter who was my mother, Alice Salaz. She and my father, Tom Salaz continued to work and maintain Erlinda’s Tamale Shop. In 2017, my mother passed away and my dad continued to run the tamale shop. In
2020, my dad retired, and I was not ready to step in or take over at the time, so he chose to close it and wait for me. I have always loved cooking and of course have been extremely proud of the legacy my mother’s family has built. I always knew I would like to still work in the tamale business, but I also wanted to do more than just tamales. I decided a mobile trailer may be a good way to get started.
2. How has the legacy of Erlinda’s Tamales influenced your approach to Erlinda’s Tamale Xpress? Are there any secret family recipes or traditions that you’ve brought into the food truck? I try to cook my food as close to the way I remember watching my Grandma
Erlinda cook at home while I was growing up. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandma and when I cook or make tamales, I feel close to her and hope she would be proud. The photo of my mom and my grandma on the banner was chosen as a way for me to honor their memories and to keep doing things the way they would want to see them done. Every family has their secret recipes, and they’re secret for a reason so I will have to pass on this part of the question.
3. What are some of the signature dishes that customers can look forward to when they visit Erlinda’s Tamale Xpress? Are there any new or unique items that are exclusive to the food truck? I do not have anything unique or exclusive at this time. I am preparing food I love to make and items I know our community loves to eat. In the future, maybe I will come up with something I feel is unique.
4. Erlinda’s Tamales has been a beloved part of Gallup for generations. How do you see Erlinda’s Tamale Xpress contributing to and enhancing the local community? I have been involved with TDFL
for 20 years and am a supporter of the Stars n Stripes Wrestling Program. I hope to make an impact continuing to help those organizations where I can, along with other youth and teams when I am able. Helping youth have access to programs is important to me.
5. Opening a food truck comes with its unique set of challenges. What have been some of the biggest hurdles you’ve faced, and how have you overcome them? For me, the biggest challenge to opening a food trailer has been the direct result of “not knowing what you don’t know.” I delayed my opening due to some refrigeration trouble that I caused for myself.
6. Your food truck has already created a buzz on social media. How important has social media been in promoting your business, and what has been the most effective strategy? I was extremely surprised with the power of social media. I had no idea about the reach our Erlinda’s Tamale Xpress page would have! In fact, due to the great response, I had a few days where I ran out of almost everything. I did not expect such a generous response from our community. The strategy was more like “let’s post it and see what happens.” I am grateful
for the way it turned out and for our wonderful community of supporters. Moving forward we will do more advertising on social media and in print.
7. Do you have any future plans for Erlinda’s Tamale Xpress? Perhaps new locations, menu expansions, or special events? Future plans for Erlinda’s Tamale Xpress include being able to make enough tamales to keep up and hopefully move to selling by the dozen again. After the first of the year, I am hoping to offer different specials and offer items not normally on the menu. I also hope to attend community events and maybe even cater down the road.
8. Finally, for both Janelle and John, what’s your personal favorite item on the menu, and what would you recommend to someone trying Erlinda’s tamales for the first time? My favorite thing is everything. I am making food I love and want to share with everybody. If somebody is trying Erlinda’s Tamale Xpress for the first time, I would definitely want them to try a tamale and encourage them to come back until they have tried it all. My wife, Janelle, loves the enchiladas and quesadilla taco. December 2023
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Winter Reading
26 December 2023
By Michele Laughing-Reeves When I was little, I looked forward to those long summer months. I remember being sent home on the last day of school with books to read, and I usually had one of them read on the long bus ride home. I loved reading then, and I still do today. I still look forward to the summer for the same reasons as when I was in elementary school. Now, I usually make time to read new titles or to reread my favorites. With the winter break coming at the end of the semester, there is another reason, besides the holidays, to look forward to the two weeks off from school. Because of this additional time to read, I’ve tried to expand my horizons by getting suggestions of titles and authors from whomever. For the reluctant readers, I won’t regurgitate all the benefits of being a proficient reader. However, one thing is for certain–you will use your imagination. Additionally, reading is a low maintenance hobby, and you have choices at every turn. There are so many genres now that libraries and Barnes & Noble can’t categorize a fantasy-romance-murdermystery. Perhaps such a book can be shelved next to the Twilight trilogy. Historical fictions are also tricky because you have to figure out which of the plot elements is historical and which is fictional. Regardless, the inner child in all of us will pick up a Curious George or The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Arrow to the Sun or Chicka Chicka Boom Boom just because they were favorites. Besides all of Eric Carle’s books, my children enjoyed Dr. Seuss’s The Sleep Book. I read it nearly every night, and I nearly memorized it. The Sleep Book was so good that I sometimes fell asleep somewhere between Foona-Lagoona and the Curious Crandles. The Butter Battle Book
teaches young children, including my own, the broader issue of fighting over trivial things. Of course, there are the traditional folktales, like The Shoemaker and the Elves, and the Disney stories about evil stepmothers and witches. Then, kids grow into chapter books, so the entire series of Junie B, the Boxcar Children, Amelia Bedelia, and Frog and Toad must be read from 1 to however many there are in a series. The elementary teach-a-lesson books get kids ready for the series books in middle school with an introduction of complex plots and characters. Usually, the main characters are as young as the readers and are struggling with reallife conflicts, which may be the reasons for their popularity. Thirteen-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle traveled from Ohio to Idaho with her grandparents in order to understand the death of her mother, while twelve-year-old Esperanza Ortega is forced to flee Mexico with her mother and quickly joins the immigrant workers in California to make money for abuelita’s trip to join the family. Other characters, such as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Nancy Drew, and Ramona became household names and may even be turned into movies. A couple of years later as 13- and 14-year-olds, they are reading about Hobbits, one finds a ring that makes him invisible, but it belongs to a powerful sorcerer and how Katniss and Peeta win the games in the dystopian society of Panem. Once in high school, students are required to read grade-level classics such as The Odyssey, A Separate Peace, Julius Caesar or Macbeth, and Things Fall Apart. Because the text and characterizations are denser, teachers use every trick in the book to make the classics appealing. Not every required reading will have heroes, giants, wizards, and true love; teenagers usually can relate to characters in such novels as Bless Me Ultima, Reservation Blues, and House Made of Dawn. Perhaps watching the movie version is a shortcut, but the book is always better, and as a bonus, it’ll make your English teacher happy. Like any other hobby, you must make time to read. Many people routinely spend up to an hour before bedtime
reading. However, if the novel is so captivating, I could sacrifice other chores and duties to get to the end to find out if the butler really did do it. My favorite author is Mitch Albom, so I will often reread any of his books if no new titles pique my interest. I’m not picky about genre, and I’ve learned to avoid book reviews. Therefore, I’ve started to ask the people around me what they are reading and who is their favorite author. Should I be concerned that many of them enjoy Stephen King novels? A couple of people have highly recommended Barbara Kingsolver and Robert Leckie, so I’ll read their bestsellers to find out why. In return, I would suggest Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and any Mitch Albom novel. Reading for fun is the ultimate goal. Now that many school districts are transitioning to year-round schedules, avid readers can look forward to additional times throughout the year to enjoy their hobby. Winter break is two weeks long for teachers and a bit longer for students, so finishing at least one book, including the 1104-page Pillars of the Earth, is possible. I can’t wait for winter break, so I can cuddle up with a book or two. The only difference from summer reading is that now I’ll definitely be indoors. Oh, the books you’ll read.
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Walking in Beauty
Calming the Storm
T
he holidays can bring on a lot of unwanted stress. Family gatherings, preparing large amounts of food, purchasing gifts, and traveling can all create stress. When it comes to eating and stress, one of the best things you can do for your body is to eat a balanced and healthy eating plan. Be sure to participate in regular physical activity which is very beneficial for managing stress. As little as five minutes of exercise a day can be beneficial. Other ways to help ease stress might include: • Socializing with friends and loved ones during a stressful situation • Decreasing the amount of caffeine in your diet • Taking time to do a relaxation activity such as breathing exercises or meditation • Go for a walk, hike or run • Read a new book • Discover a new hobby: puzzles, sewing, swimming, pickle ball • Get plenty of time in the sun to increase your Vitamin D consumption • Talk with someone professional. Counselors or health providers can offer help with combating stress
28 December 2023
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A Pathway to Success If you have not yet noticed, the Gallup McKinley County School district has been going through a major overhaul in their secondary academics. GMCS has adopted a PATHWAY model into all 9 of their high schools. This Pathway Model groups all academics into focused groups of study. Each Pathway then covers all the graduation required courses but through that same focus. For example, Miyamura High School has a Health Care/Medical Pathway. Students in this Pathway will take all the required course material to graduate but all those courses will also have a “Health/Medical” focus. Not only will they take courses that involve Health or Medical; their math courses will be fine tuned to fit this focus, as will their English, History and Science courses. This change to our academic system has been progressively moving along over the past 4 school years. Miyamura High School served as a pilot school for the 2019-20 school year. Since then, all 9 of our high schools have adopted Career Pathways with a mix of different choices. However, the Pathway model that GMCS has now crafted into their curriculum is still evolving. Most of our district is rural and with that comes challenges that other school districts may not have. When asked about why there was a shift to the Career Pathway model, Coordinator of Career Readiness, Arnel Dela Cruz answered by stating that there was an emphasis on student success after graduation and that the Pathway direction was the way to go because “it provides skills, post-secondary dual credit, work-based learning experience and makes learning relevant to their career goals.“ CCCR Director, Jack McFarland added “making the (curriculum) relevant gives more students the opportunity to be successful.” When considering a Career Pathway program for GMCS, school officials went on field trips to other school districts that implemented a Pathway model. Over the last two years, the GMCS College, Career and Civic Readiness Department has taken large tour groups on five different trips. Those include high schools in the San Diego area in March of 2022, Porterville School District in Porterville, CA in March of 2022 and 2023 and North Kansas School District in Kansas City, State of the art engineering and manufactoring lab at Staley High School MO in March 2023 and more recently in October 2023. What they saw in those other school districts made everyone excited. Many of the schools in these school districts were operating their schools almost like a college. The level of experience these students are exposed to will undoubtably give them more Signage at Staley High School in Kansas City, MO opportunities after high school provides clear areas of indicating school of study. than those at a regular high
school. These experiential site visits have allowed GMCS to get a clear understanding of what is needed to create a robust and successful Pathways model in their schools. Pathways Coordinator, Kyndee Keeler stated that she was grateful for the opportunity to bring staff and community Wall Mural at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, members to a district that utilized MO uses iconography and pictograms to seperate schools of study. Career Pathways to better illustrate the vision that they are working toward saying, “Seeing a school system come together to accomplish (this move to Pathways) shows everyone what is attainable.” Over the last four years, GMCS administrators, Wall of Pride at Oak Park High School in their Health instructors, counselors, and Service pathway. other stakeholders have gone on several trips to those school districts to speak with their administrators, teachers, counselors, and students with the goal to learn as much as possible from others to make our school district the one that sets the bar in Career Pathway Academics. The most recent trip to the North Kansas School District is the last scheduled group visit for CCCR. The North Kansas City 74 School District or NKC in Kansas City, MO is a Career Pathway Model school district. NKC currently hosts several groups from other visiting school districts to business and educational groups to come to their school district and see for themselves how a Career Pathway Model looks and runs. NKC has provided our school district with onsite school visits as well as several informative lectures and Q&A forums. These district site visits have been incredibly helpful in the continual development of our own Pathway model here at GMCS. These visits have also helped dozens of other school districts around the United States in creating a Career Pathway model for them. At this stage, GMCS is looking at becoming a model school district, like NKC. Last year, Miyamura High School became the first school in our district to graduate Career Pathway students, which puts us in a different position than NKC as they only have grades 9-11 involved in a Pathway this year. We believe that our program, although still developing, is strong enough to show off. At GMCS, we have many challenges due to our very rural and sprawling district. All these challenges are carefully considered with each new component of Pathway development. We feel that our ability to meet these challenges head on has also put us in a position to be a role model school district for other school districts in the country, especially those with similar challenges. We are excited about this opportunity and look forward to other school districts modeling their Career Pathway Programs after ours.
Cal Ripken STEM Center comes to Jefferson Elementary Training by the Ripken Foundation STEM program staff and STEM professional consultants will provide ongoing program and technical support for all STEM Center partners.
The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is a national nonprofit organization founded in honor of the legendary Cal Ripken, Sr. The Foundation partners with youth serving organizations and schools around the country with the goal of improving the lives of students, especially those that are at-risk. The Ripken Foundation provides many educational opportunities, one of which is the Ripken Foundation STEM Centers. These STEM Centers have been provided to schools all across the country. On November 9th, The Ripken Foundation gifted Jefferson Elementary School with one of these amazing STEM Centers. The full price tag on this generous donation is over $32,000 and includes: Education Products: A specialized selection of lessons, diverse activity kits, and materials that introduce STEM principles through circuitry, engineering, coding, and more. Technology and Storage: Laptops; 3D printers; drones; several spools of printing filament; and mobile STEM activity organizers/workbenches. The STEM Curriculum Guidebook: is a hands-on learning guide that helps teachers introduce STEM concepts that are based on Next Generation Science Standards. The curriculum provided through the portal accompanies the Ripken Foundation STEM Center products, providing guidance on use of the products provided, as well as offering lessons to use with the kids and products.
STEM Challenge, a competition hosted by Ripken Foundation which uses real-world problems to encourage students to apply STEM skills and knowledge to develop innovative solutions. Teams from the STEM Centers across the country present their solutions to a panel of judges. Additional Online Resources for educational products give teachers and mentors access to digital copies of curriculum and other resources that will enhance the STEM program through the Ripken Online Resource Portal. Before the official ribbon cutting ceremony, trainers from the Ripken Foundation hosted workshops for Jefferson instructors on how to utilize all the pieces of their new STEM Center. Once they were all trained, students were brought in, and individual stations were set up with different STEM sets. Students were encouraged to open play and explore at all the stations. Mayor Bonaguidi, Superintendent Hyatt and School Board member Priscilla Benally were in attendance and encouraged to explore the new STEM stations. The Jefferson Elementary Ripken STEM Center is the first in our district. We hope to have more in the future. We know this new STEM center will help our students to dream big and stay engaged. The goal of the Ripken Foundation is to gift one of these STEM Centers to all 19 schools in our school district, but they need partnerships to make it happen! Those interested in becoming a sponsor can contact Shannon Johnson with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation by email at sjohnson@ripkenfoundation.org.
Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season! 208 E. Highway 66 • Gallup, NM • 505.863.9543
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Shop At Gallup’s Favorite Little Liquor Store for Wine, Craft Beer and Spirits Rocket Liquor Store 1717 S. 2nd Street 505-863-3172
Rocket Café 1717 S. 2nd Street 505-722-8972 December 2023
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DECEMBER
December 2
December 13
City of Gallup and Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade 1:00 pm PARADE ROUTE: 8th Street-East on Aztec to Puerco Street
Paint & Sip: Hot Air Balloon 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm ART123 Gallery Have a creative night out! $35/person. Advanced registration required: www.galluparts.org/paint-sip
December 4 December 1-3 42nd Red Rock Balloon Rally
December 2 Rehoboth Christian High School Track team will be hosting the annual Pyramid Rock Trail Run at 9:00 am. For more information and to register online visit: https:// ultrasignup.com/register. aspx?did=109736.
YES I DO!
I want a copy of God's message of strenth, hope and love. (Psalms and Proverbs). I understand there is no charge. IT IS FREE! NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: STATE:
ZIP:
PLEASE WRITE CLEARLY Allow A Few Weeks For Delivery Mail to: PO BOX 2025 Gallup, NM 87305
34 December 2023
Celebrate this special time of the year with a Christmas program. Enjoy meaningful thoughts, childhood memories and music. Hosted by the Gallup Masonic Lodge, 4501 E. 66 Avenue at 7:00 pm. The public is invited. For information, text 505-6158053
December 19 Gallup Community Grief Support group has their monthly group at 7:00 pm. Held at the Gallup Masonic Lodge, 4501 E. 66 Avenue. For information, text 505-615-8053
Through December 21 Pop-up Holiday Art Market at ART123 Gallery Handmade gifts by 20 local artists -- jewelry, leatherwork, woodcraft, cards, ornaments, paintings, prints, T-shirts, hand-sewn items. Tuesday - Friday from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm Saturday from 12 – 6:00 pm More info: www.galluparts. org/holidaymarket
December 9 Gallup Families with Autism will have an in-person MeetUp in the meeting space at the Children’s Library on Saturday, December 9th, from 3-5 pm. Children are welcome at meetings. Questions? Heidi 360-912-1953, or find our group on Facebook.
December 9 Mini Winter Arts Festival 1:00 – 5:00 pm ART123 Gallery 33 local artists. Family snowflake craft. Face painting. Bake Sale. Complimentary hot cocoa.
December 9 Show Opening: 8th Annual Member Artist Group Show ART123 Gallery 12 – 6:00 pm See new work by 13 of your favorite local artists.
Gallup Service Mart looking for sewing teachers to help teach classes we offer, please contact: 505-722-9414
December Events at the Octavia Fellin Public Library Barbie Party and Exhibit
An exhibit showcasing the iconic Barbie doll will be displayed at the Main Library through December! Barbie encourages the kind of imaginative play that teaches us that no matter our gender, ethnicity, or background we can all make the world a better place by doing work that excites and challenges us. View various Barbie dolls through history and the story behind how Ruth Handler created the iconic doll. Celebrate the Barbie legacy with activities that inspire limitless potential at our Barbie Party at the Main Library on Saturday, December 16th at 2:00 PM. Come dressed as your favorite Barbie and take a photo in our life-sized Barbie Box made in our MakerSpace! The party will feature snacks, door prizes, crafts, and a special screening of the Barbie movie! Email bmartin@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.
g n i m o c p U Events Special Education Day
Cooking Class: Sous Vide Turkey Breast
Join OFPL for a cooking class with professional Chef Brian Tatsukawa from the NTU Culinary Department at the Main Library on December 19th at 4:00 PM. Learn how to cook a perfectly tender and juicy turkey breast using the Sous Vide method. Advance registration at ofpl.online is required. Email ctatsukawa@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.
Project SEARCH Open House
Winter Break Chess Tournament
Kick off Winter Break by feeding your brain! Join us at El Morro Events Center on December 21st for a Chess tournament. Registration begins at 9:00 AM with rounds beginning at 10:00 AM and ending with an awards ceremony at 4:00 PM. This free scholastic tournament is open to chess players of all ages and skill levels. You may register in person on the morning of the tournament, or in advance at ofpl.online.
GMCS School Board Meeting
Library Closure - Holidays
The Octavia Fellin Main Library and Children & Youth Library will be closed on Friday December 22th through Monday December 25th for the Holidays. During that time, OFPL’s online services, as always, will be available at ofpl.online featuring downloadable magazines, e-books, audio-books, streaming movies, virtual programs, and many other resources. Email bmartin@gallupnm.gov, or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.
Winter Break
Free Narcan Training
Join OFPL at the Main Library on Tuesday, December 26th at 12:00 PM for Free Community Narcan training. A Paramedic and a case manager from the FR-CARA Program (First Responders Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act) will present available resources and Narcan training every last Tuesday of the month. Each individual will get a box of Narcan. A Q&A to follow. Email bmartin@gallupnm.gov, or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.
Navajo Rug Weaving Workshop
OFPL and Diné weaver Lois A. Becenti will offer weaving workshops in-person at the Main Library on December 29th at 10:00 AM. Learn the fundamentals and techniques of rug weaving in the traditional Diné style, including warping, carding, and spinning. The Library will provide a limited number of looms that must be kept in the Library. Please bring your own projects to work on. Email bmartin@gallupnm. gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.GMCS.ORG OR CALL
505-721-1000 December 2023
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Watchman Weaves UNM into His Life First-gen, non-traditional student veteran commemorates higher education journey with Navajo rug By Richard Reyes A first-year student at The University of New MexicoGallup found a way to express his creativity and connect to his culture while also commemorating the start of his higher education journey. Darrel Watchman, who is pursuing an associate degree in human services with a concentration in family studies, created a red rug with a white UNM logo in the center alongside two butterfly designs for a project in his Navajo Weaving class. “I wanted to weave UNM into the rug because, in a sense, I wanted to weave UNM into my life,” he said. “It becomes a part of me, and I become a part of it. … This is a reminder for me: ‘This is what you asked for. This is what you and your wife talked about. Don’t go giving up.’” Watchman is originally from Ganado, Arizona, and currently lives with his wife, Telena, in Tsayatoh, New Mexico, a chapter of the Navajo Nation just outside of Gallup. He said Telena ultimately encouraged him, now at 39 years old, to go back to school to further his education. But life had other plans for Watchman before he got to UNM-Gallup. ‘It makes me want to keep going’ Watchman was born into the Water’s Edge Clan, born for the Black Streak Wood People Clan. His maternal grandfather’s clan is Coyote Pass and his paternal grandfather’s clan is Red Running into the Water.
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He graduated from high school in Chinle, Arizona, in 2002. He then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served five years, doing two tours in Iraq as an aviation operations specialist during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After being discharged, he applied for college, but never enrolled. Instead, he found work and did other things, such as beadwork. Watchman and his wife recently moved back to the Gallup area from Albuquerque, and he finally decided, with Telena’s support, to enroll at UNM-Gallup in the summer of Darrel Watchman, a first-year human services student, poses for a 2023. portrait at The University of New Mexico-Gallup campus Monday, His decision to become a Nov. 6, 2023. Lobo was inspired by the fact that Telena herself first came elective at UNM-Gallup because work that the final design came to UNM-Gallup to pursue her his wife’s grandmother weaves to him. nursing degree before completing and does amazing work. He “These things have a life of her bachelor’s at the UNM also witnessed his late paternal their own,” he said. “They’re main campus in Albuquerque. grandmother sitting at a big loom here. No matter what I was Watchman’s childhood best and weaving away when he was taught when I first started on friend also graduated from UNM young. my artistic journey — doing with a bachelor’s degree. “I always remembered that,” beadwork and all that — this was Watchman was also inspired he said. “When I walk around here long before us. This is a gift by the stories of Dr. Chenoa the shops and see beautiful rugs, from the Holy People. What we Bah Stilwell-Jensen, a partman, I wonder how long it took have and what we do is not on time instructor at UNM in them and wonder what was going our own. It’s put here for us to Albuquerque, and Dr. Carolene through their head when they take care of. Although my hands Whitman, an adjunct at did that. I wanted to learn on put it together, it’s not my doing. UNM-Gallup, both of whom my own. I wanted to learn for That’s the way I see it.” obtained their doctorates while myself.” ‘I’m living my dream’ maintaining a strong hold of their He initially thought it would be As a non-traditional student, cultural identity. a breeze, but he quickly learned Watchman said he feels like an “All these people who how much work and patience “old man” sharing classes with pursued education and who goes into carding, spinning and high school students who are were connected to UNM, it was cleaning the wool as well as the dual-enrolled at UNM-Gallup. inspiring to me to see the people warping process. However, his experience at the I look up to,” he said. “It makes Watchman said he struggled branch campus has been great me want to keep going.” with his first project, weaving up so far, even when the going gets ‘These things have a life of and down, trying different things tough. their own’ and changing his mind several For example, Watchman said Watchman said he chose the times. It wasn’t until he learned his current math class has been Navajo Weaving class as an how to stop fighting against the challenging, but his wife reminds
Darrel Watchman, a first-year human services student, displays the Darrel Watchman, a first-year human services student, poses for details of his beadwork on a fan at The University of New Mexicoa portrait with a fan he beaded at The University of New Mexico- Gallup campus Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. The colors of the beads Gallup campus Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. represent the National Defense Service Medal, which is awarded to him that he’s doing well and that he needs to keep his head up and move forward even though he’s not earning the grade he hoped for. “She threw my words back at me,” he joked. “She told me whether I take a big step or little step, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s in the right direction.” Watchman believes that if you believe in something strong enough, want it bad enough and pray enough, you can achieve it. He’s applying that positive attitude toward his education, and he hopes to help others find that positivity through his future career. He wants to become a social worker to help his fellow veterans or victims of domestic violence to overcome their trauma and to find their voices. He wants to help people move forward with what they’ve experienced. He wants to give them strength to find a path where they’re no longer in any danger. That desire comes from a personal place. Watchman said he endured abuse himself when he was growing up. When people ask him what his dream is, he tells them that he’s exactly where he wants to be. “My dream was to get out of the home I was raised in and move on and live a life without
members of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during a period of worrying about being abused or armed conflict or national emergency. yelled at,” he said. “I wanted to be in a home filled with love. That was my dream. So, I’m living my dream. I’m in a home filled with love and don’t have to worry about anything else.” ‘Allow yourself to become the person you are’ Watchman also witnessed first-hand the destruction of alcoholism. Within a seven-year timeframe, his father, his oldest brother and his second oldest brother all died to alcoholrelated causes. Watchman said he chose to pursue social work so he could He didn’t reach that way of for a person like me,” he said. try to understand their mindsets positive thinking overnight “I’ve been out of school for so and what they were going though. He acknowledged that long, I found it intimidating through, so he can help others in he himself used to carry his going back. There’s all these similar situations. anger, but his wife had a big younger kids, and they’re In particular, he wants to hand in helping him become getting a jump on life. Here I help people move forward, not who he is today and realizing his am at 39 years old walking into necessarily to move on. educational goals. school like, ‘Who am I? What “You don’t really move on,” When he graduates from can I do? What do I know?’ You he said. “The trauma from my UNM-Gallup, Watchman plans can’t give up on yourself. A lot childhood, I still carry with to earn a bachelor’s degree and of people talk themselves out me. Those experiences you pursue his master’s, but one step of the journey before they even have, good or bad, especially at a time. start. Let go of that self-doubt the bad ones, you can let them As he continues to work on and that fear. Allow yourself to consume you and fill you up figuring out his path as a firstbecome the person you are.” with bitterness and anger and generation college student, Photos by Richard Reyes. it’ll take you down. Or you can the services at UNM-Gallup sit and reflect on it and try to have helped him a lot so far, For more information about understand it and move forward particularly the tutoring from UNM-Gallup, please visit gallup. with it. I think in that way, you TRIO Student Support Services unm.edu. For more UNM-Gallup become a better, stronger person and the Center for Academic news and events, please visit and you’re better able to talk to Learning. people.” “It’s never too late, especially gallup.unm.edu/news.
December 2023
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The Christmas Truce of 1914
By Kenneth Riege USAF Veteran
E
ven though the ending of WW1 was over more than a century ago, no war seems more terrible. In the span of only 4 years (1914 – 1918) Photos of German and British Soldiers during the Christmas Truce of 1914. more than 25 million people were either killed or wounded. But during that time there were odd moments of joy and hope in the trenches of Flanders and France. One of the remarkable events happened during the first Christmas of the war and for a few brief hour’s men from both sides of the Western Front laid down their arms, emerged from the trenches crossing over “No Man’s Land” and exchanged food, carols, games and comradeship.
While the Christmas Truce was unofficial, many of the officers disapproved of such Fraternization, and headquarters on both sides took strong steps to ensure that it never happened again. However, while it lasted the truce was magical, leading even the Wall Street Journal to
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observe: “What appears from the winter fog and misery is a Christmas story, a fine story that is, in truth, the most faded and tattered of adjectives: Inspiring.” The first signs that “something was up” occurred on December 24th, 1914, at approximately 8:30PM when an officer of the Royal Irish Rifles reported to headquarters: “The Germans have illuminated their trenches and are singing songs and wishing us a Happy Christmas. Compliments are being exchanged but am nevertheless taking all military precautions.” Further down the lines it was reported that the two sides were serenading each other with carols. The Germans “Silent Night” was met by the British with choruses of “The First Noel.” Scouts were sent out “cautiously” into no man’s land into the shell-blasted waste between the trenches. A Scots Guard diary reported that a Private Murker, met a German Patrol and was given a glass of whisky and some cigars ad reported that if we didn’t fire at them, they would not fire at us. Reports of these same understandings made their way up and down the trenches on both sides. One British soldier, Private Frederick Heath later reported that from the German trenches’ voices were heard saying, “Come out English Soldiers, come out here to us.” They of course were cautious and were ordered to remain silent, but up and down the lines were reports of the same request. How could we resist wishing each other a Merry Christmas, even though we might be at each other’s throats afterwards?
While the conversations with the Germans continued the British Soldiers kept their hands ready on their rifles. There were several factors that combined to produce the conditions to be just right for the Christmas Truce to occur. By December 1914, the men in the trenches were hardened war veterans, familiar enough with the realities of combat to have lost much of the idealism that they had carried into the war just a few short months earlier and they all longed for the bloodshed to end. Both sides had believed that the war would be over by Christmas, yet there they were, still muddied, cold and in battle. Just how widespread the truce was is hard to say. There were many accounts of fighting throughout the Christmas season. Alfred Anderson was the last known surviving soldier to have been present when the guns fell silent along the Western Front in a spontaneous “Christmas Truce.”
Alfred Anderson Mr. Anderson recalled the “eerie sound of silence” as the shooting stopped that Christmas day 1914. He was an 18-yearold soldier with the Black Watch Regiment when troops from both sides cautiously emerged from their trenches swapping cigarettes and tunic buttons. They sang carols and even played soccer amid the mud, bared wire and shell holes of no man’s land.
In most places, up and down the line, it was generally accepted that the truce was temporary with the men returning to their trenches at dusk. Each side reporting, “Today we have peace. Tomorrow, you fight for your country, and I fight for mine. Good Luck.” So, on 26 December 1914 the war was back on again and there would be no further truce until the general armistice of November 1918. Many and perhaps the majority of the thousands of men who celebrated that Christmas Truce of 1914 would not live to see the return of peace, but for those who did survive, the truce was something that would never be forgotten. While I do end most of my stories with a quote from the MOH Quote book, The United States was not “Officially” involved in WW1 during the Christmas Truce of 1914 so instead I wanted to include my favorite poem which was written by Canadian Lt. Colonel and Surgeon John McCrae.
In Flanders Fields By Lt. Colonel John McCrae. In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place, and in the sky. The larks, still bravely singing, fly. Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch: be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow.
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Hey Kids
follow Santa to the Court House Plaza on December 2nd, following the Christmas Parade! Santa and his helpers will be giving out Free Christmas Stockings, Hot Chocolate and Cookies! Plus Mom and Dad you could win Santa’s Chair!
Saturday December 2nd at the Court House Plaza following the Chistmas Parade!
44 December 2023
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Q&A Q&A for
Matthew Tafoya Director of the NTU Innovation Center
There are several innovative initiatives in the works for the upcoming seasons. One innovation is collaboration. Most collaboration stopped with the pandemic and has not started back up again. The center is reaching out to partners to collaborate on economic research projects, more in-depth cultural arts workshops, getting feedback to better design upcoming workshops and trainings, and bringing in national Yes. The Innovation Center has provided much needed work business trainers to provide intense two-day workshops. The space at reduced rates to start-up businesses, provided start-up Innovation Center is collaborating with the Navajo Nation business workshops to tenants and the public, and is currently Regional Economic Development Centers, the Dineh Chamber promoting and teaching Navajo cultural arts this Winter. This is of Commerce, the local Small Business Development Center, important because the demand for cultural arts is growing while and Sister Sky Inc. to provide workshops and training. We the supply is diminishing. One contributor to the diminishing have a Sister Sky Empowerment Workshop scheduled for supply is a lack of teachers and knowledge holders, those who January 10-12, 2024 from 8 am to 5 pm that I encourage the possess specific traditional cultural knowledge, willing to readership to attend by calling the Innovation Center at 505share it, and good at teaching it to others. Moreover, there is 905-7800 to reserve a seat which are limited to 24 Native a lack of institutions that can provide this type of knowledge. American entrepreneurs. Fortunately, Navajo Technical University and Dine College Program sustainability is important because the Navajo offer classes and workshops to teach cultural knowledge and Nation is nation building and looking to create new institutions production techniques to interested people. For instance, as Navajo self-governance grows and evolves into new the NTU Winter Cultural Arts series starts off with a Navajo domains. For instance, the Nygren administration mentioned Warrior Hat making workshop where people will learn some that the Navajo Nation wants to pursue new forms of industry, of the cultural teachings associated with the different types of like manufacturing and create an economy from the ground traditional Navajo head gear and various production techniques. up, instead of the status quo top down approach that has not As far as I know, that has not been done until the last time I worked. Navajo Nation is looking to start several business did it back in 2013. The cultural arts workshops are free, for incubators throughout the nation and we can help that effort Navajo people, and intended to support a Navajo economy. by sharing with planners some of the decade long insights The best part is participants get to keep what they make. It is and lessons learned from our tenure as a business incubator our hope that workshop attendees will start making and selling and training center, which we have done. Moreover, Navajo these items to tourist and local stores, providing an income for Technical University is spearheading an engineering, themselves and supporting the local economy with secondary technological, and manufacturing initiative to bring high tech spending. It is NTUs way of teaching a person how to fish, laboratories, research, and manufacturing to the Navajo Nation instead of feeding them fish. I consider that a positive impact which means NTU can offer system support to help create to the Navajo Nation and the local economy. a new Navajo economy and technological manufacturing opportunities. Innovation and sustainability are key aspects of the The Innovation Center is taking sustainable steps to ensure Navajo Tech Innovation Center’s mission. Can you a brighter future. About mid-December, the center will be tell us about some innovative projects or initiatives planting stone fruit trees and Indigenous berry bushes to that the center is currently involved in or planning for adapt to climate change and help provide pollen to the area to the future? encourage and support the bee population. If anyone would like to join that effort, feel free to call the center to find
The Navajo Tech Innovation Center plays a crucial role in connecting business, community, education, and health. Could you share some success stories or examples of how the center has positively impacted the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities?
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out the specific days and come and join us to green up the environment. We will also be building an adobe oven in the spring to support local food system infrastructure. The public is welcome to attend that workshop as well.
Studio G is a program aimed at helping students start businesses. How does Studio G work, and what kind of support and resources does it provide to aspiring student entrepreneurs? Studio G is a learning track for Navajo Technical University students and alumni. Studio G is a collaboration between NTU and NMSU. It is a program for students that want to take their class projects to the next level—production and sales. It is a semester long workshop that consist of six in-person or virtual learning modules that participants are required to attend five of them, they have to attend two socials, and an end of the semester pitch contest whereby students get a chance to win some start-up money. Studio G participants develop their business idea over the semester according to the modules and by the end of they semester they should have good idea about the feasibility of their project into a business. Studio G is run by NMSU Arrowhead Center who coordinates the workshops, socials, and pitch contests. Students are assigned a mentor who advices them and serves as a springboard for ideas and development. The job of the Innovation Center is to funnel 6 participants into the program every semester, from there, Shasta takes over. The Innovation Center provides workspace, conference space, administrative help, printing, and technological support to Studio G participants.
The center is certified as a Business Incubator by the State of New Mexico Economic Development Department. What advantages does this certification bring to the businesses and entrepreneurs it serves, and how does it contribute to the region’s economic growth? The advantage it brings are standards and accountability. Certification demonstrates the Innovation Center meets standards and has to demonstrate to regulatory bodies that the center conducted a feasibility study, has office space, manufacturing space, conference rooms, training rooms, and parking lots. We have to share the center’s policies, show the systems we have in place, and demonstrate we are indeed providing an ecological environment to small businesses. The Innovation Center’s contribution to economic growth can be measured by the number of entrepreneurs that have participated in the program and programming over the last 10 years. To improve that measurement, the Center adjusted the participation from 5 years to 1, 2, or 3 years depending on the level of assistance needed by the tenant. That was done to stream line programming and increase the number of program outputs. This intervention in turn contributes to the local economy by increasing the number of businesses, specialization of new services and products, and reducing local
reliance on outside entities to provide at increased costs.
Collaboration between business and culture is a central theme of the Innovation Center. Can you share some examples of how the center has successfully brought together traditional Navajo values with modern business practices to create unique opportunities? The Innovation Center is Indigenizing Western business constructs, models, and frameworks by replacing them with Navajo ontologies, epistemologies, and methodologies. For instance, the Navajo life goal is Hozho and the way to achieve it is Sa’ah, Naaghai, Bi’keh, Hozhoon (SNBH) which translates into the “path of life leading to old age.” For Navajo entrepreneurs that means the goal for a business is Hozho which is beauty, balance, and goodness not the Western version of profit or increased market share. SNBH then becomes the business plan for the way forward. Navajo methodology is Nit’saha’kees (thinking), Nahata (planning), Iina (implementing), and Siihisin (evaluation) which also corresponds to seasons, directions, mountains, sacred stones, and teachings. The Innovation Center organizes itself according to the methodology. We use this same modeling for programming which means we will have a harvest celebration in the Fall with the Open House, creation stories in the Winter followed by Spring planting and so on. Part of Native Nation Building is finding or creating a cultural match, that the program or project should reflect the culture it is intended to serve. This decolonizing process makes sense for Navajo people and provides opportunity to evolve and adapt to changing times.
The Innovation Center offers a variety of workshops and training sessions, including topics like accounting, marketing, and website development. How do these workshops benefit entrepreneurs and business owners, and what can individuals expect to gain from participating in them? The workshops provide training or learning opportunities to small business startups and that can make a big difference in building the capacity and skill sets to make them more productive and responsive to local needs. For instance, we asked local entrepreneurs what workshops they needed most and the answer was 1) business legal structures, 2) book keeping, 3) tax filing, and 4) payroll. That means we will be offering those workshops in the near future and the workshops will open to the public. Specific training and workshops benefit local small business people by offering critical training at no costs and also not offered locally until the UNM SBDC gets back online with resources and service delivery. The Innovation Center keeps in mind who we serve and try hard to respond to their specific needs. Everyone is invited to visit the center to see what we have to offer. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. December 2023
47
People Reading
Joseph Jackson Enjoying a Rueben Sandwich at Major Market in Zuni. He is originally from Kansas. I enjoy reading the Journey.
John Martin travelled from Pinehill to Gallup to get to read the Gallup Journey while having his teeth cleaned at Porter Dental.
48 December 2023
We attended NASCAR Championship weekend in Phoenix, AZ on November 3rd-5th 2023. We are the #1 NASCAR fans in all of New Mexico! -Mike Morgan (pictured left) -Cyril Morgan (pictured right)
Send in your travel adventures to us, while reading the Journey! We’re in Charlotte North Carolina for the Dallas CowboysCarolina Panthers and reading the Gallup Journey in front of the Bank of America Stadium. Left to right Donna Quam, April Platero and Valerie Barker
gallupjourney@gmail.com WIN A JOURNEY T-SHIRT! December 2023
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Personal Research of Concha Belts
By Don Richards
Concha Belts”, it seems a quirk of fate that as a civil s the primary engineer by profession author (my wife for 50 years, that I would Karen was the co- have undertaken such an author and photographer) of endeavor. As I noted in the the book “A study of Navajo Preface to the book.
A
Throughout my life, I suppose that I have always had a suppressed interest in Navajo arts. I was born and raised in Prescott, Arizona, and was around the local Yavapais, Hopis and Navajos, but at that time, they were just “other kids”, not Yavapais, Hopis or Navajos in particular. In Jr. High and Sr. High School, I worked with my father around the perimeter of the Navajo Reservation, in Flagstaff, Winslow, Holbrook, and Page. During these travels, I had noticed, when we were heading west on Route 66 back to Prescott for the 4th of July, that there were lines of Navajos in horse drawn wagons, also heading west to Flagstaff for the 4th of July Pow Wow. This observation has remained with me for the last 60 or so years. As a career civil engineer, Southwest Indian Arts, is far from my “normal” area of operation. However, during my career, I have worked in many places in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. During these travels, I have always tried to learn what I could about the local culture and arts of the indigenous people. This effort has resulted in a considerable library on the arts and crafts of indigenous people from many parts of the world. The result is that I have studied art, anthropology, and history as a sideline to my engineering career. As part of this study, I have accumulated a modest collection of tribal arts and crafts, including jewelry, weavings, and horse (and camel) equipment. "After traveling the world for 40+ years, we had moved back to Arizona, and lived in the Verde Valley. We stopped at Garland’s Indian Jewelry in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, and started to upgrade the types of things we had collected over the years. One day when leaving Garland’s, we mentioned to each other that we had always liked “those old belts behind the counter” - but for some reason we had never mentioned it to each other before. We had never bought any belts previously, because we never had any extra money. At that point in our life, the overseas work had provided a little more money to spend, so we started investigating concha belts."
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The investigation of and search for concha belts eventually led us to Jackson Clark in Durango, Colorado. I noted to Jackson once, that most contemporary books on Southwest Indian Jewelry, just show a lot of nice Arizona Highways style photographs, without including many concha belts, and not saying much about those that they did include. He confirmed that not much detail was available after the initial works of Matthews (1883), Adair (1944), Woodward (1946), Bedinger (1973), Mera (1960), Parrish (1982), Rosnek and Stacey (1976) and Frank & Holbrook (1990). Well, he then said, “why don’t you do one?”. That sparked my interest, and I then checked in with several publishers of books on Southwest Indian Jewelry - they confirmed that nothing had yet been written dedicated to concha belts alone. The net result was that I proceeded to try to do an article/book about them. I first made an outline and took it to Jed Foutz in Santa Fe to look over. He said that he thought that it was a worthwhile endeavor, but that I should talk to Joe Tanner in Gallup. Joe seemed to support the idea so I proceed to develop a 1st DRAFT of a potential text. I sent that to Joe and he suggested the idea of a technical review panel to look over the 1st Draft and make suggestions on what to do next.
I distributed the 1st DRAFT to the panel participants, and after a few weeks, Joe arranged a meeting at the Tanner Indian Arts Gallery in Gallup to make the review. The review panel included 3 trader/dealers: Joe, Bill Malone, Kevin Randall (initially of Rocking Horse Ranch in Phoenix, but later started K.C. Trading Company in Albuquerque); and 2 silversmiths: Perry Shorty from Shiprock and Mike Perez from Sedona. Later, through Perry Null’s trading post in Gallup, Jason Arsenault at Perry Null’s arranged for McKee Platero, a noted Navajo silversmith from the Gallup area, to do an independent review. Thus, the wheels started rolling, when the silversmiths on the review panel told me that I needed more belts featured since not only is every artist different, but different pieces by the same artist are also different. The search for more belt examples ended up with a primary focus on Gallup, with Joe Tanner, Perry Null, and Bill Malone providing more than 100 belts to be photographed, documented and included in the book. I wanted the book to be organized like the book on Navajo Wearing Blankets that Joe Ben Wheat had done, with a text followed by a “catalog” of examples, so I needed to develop a text to accompany the more than 400 belt examples that I ended up
Gallup Connections:
of the final manuscript. Churchill had written a number of books himself, and after doing so, he reportedly said that … "composing a book is an adventure. It begins as a toy, then evolves into an amusement, a mistress, a master, and eventually, a tyrant." In my humble opinion, he was right.
Perry Shorty and Bill Malone @ Review Panel Meeting
Author and Perry Null During Concha Belt Photo Session
Perry Shorty and Kevin Randall @ Review Panel Meeting
Joe Tanner and Mike Perez @ Review Panel Meeting
with. In developing the text, my thought process was always changing, so I added things, removed some, and modified
others. My apparently random thought process led Jackson Clark to note in his foreword to the book, that: “It is always
amazing to me when some historical fact, or belief that we all bought into, turns out to be questionable. Don Richards has made me look at a lot of the beliefs I have about the evolution of different Native art forms. It is a good thing to ask, “Why?” and it’s even more fun when you find something that ‘doesn’t make sense!’”
After a 10year process, the book was finally published in 2021. Along the way, I found an appropriate closing statement in a quote from Winston Churchill that seemed appropriate after Available from: Schiffer Publishing Company @ schifferbooks.com about 10 years of Amazon on line @ Amazon.com: Books effort leading up The Author at kmrdpr2@gmail.com to my preparation December 2023
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Marketing Ideas from an Accountant?
By Jason Arsenault, CPA In a world dominated by retail giants like Walmart, with their boundless marketing and ‘everyday low prices’, the idea of marketing for your small business can seem so daunting. As an accountant and small business owner myself, I’ve learned that the key to successful marketing lies in understanding your unique position and leveraging it effectively. Here’s some things that I have learned to help guide you through the maze of modern marketing.
Understanding Your Scale and Scope
First off, let’s face reality: you are not going to have the advertising dollars that a Walmart has. But here’s the twist – you don’t need them. Small businesses possess the agility and personal touch that larger corporations can only dream of. You are the heart of your business, playing multiple roles from customer service to sales, making each interaction uniquely yours.
The Power of Word-ofMouth
Often hailed as the best form of advertising, word-of-mouth is about creating memorable experiences. A satisfied customer becomes your ambassador, spreading the word about your exceptional service. Conversely, a negative experience can spread just as quickly, so focus on delighting every customer. 54 December 2023
Embracing Technology and Social Media
Today, technology is not just an option; it’s a necessity. Building an email list of customers and engaging them with regular updates can keep your business top-of-mind. Remember, email marketing can significantly outperform social media in terms of clickthrough rates. However, don’t underestimate the power of social media. It’s where your customers are, constantly connected to their digital world. Develop a strong social media strategy that aligns with your business goals, whether that’s creating engaging content, running targeted ads, or simply being present and responsive.
Local Advertising: The Hidden Gem
Local print ads, like those in community magazines such as this publication, are invaluable. They not only reach a wide local audience but also tap into the tourist market. It’s about finding the right mix that resonates with your clientele.
Persistence and Consistency: Your Marketing Mantras
Running a small business means wearing many hats, and marketing is no exception. It can be overwhelming – creating that perfect 4000-word blog post or crafting an
engaging social media campaign. But the key is persistence and consistency. Stay engaged with your audience, even when it feels like no one is listening.
SEO and the Long Game
In the digital realm, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a marathon, not a sprint. It might take months for your content to rank on Google’s first page, but the key is to keep at it. Consistently produce quality content, stay updated with SEO best practices, and engage with your audience.
Personal Experience: A CPA’s Journey in Marketing At my firm marketing is an ongoing journey. From email campaigns to social media efforts, the goal is always to stay connected with clients and potential customers. It’s about building a brand that people trust and turn to when they need your services.
Final Thoughts
As small business owners, we juggle numerous roles, and marketing is one of the most crucial. It’s about understanding your market, leveraging your unique strengths, and consistently engaging with your customers. Remember, in the grand scheme of things, you’re not just selling a product or service; you’re building relationships. And in the end, that’s what sets you apart in a marketplace crowded with giants.
Thank you Gallup BID District Property Owners for property improvements this year
Gallup Business Improvement District Management Board thanks Property Owners who utilized BID grant programs when improving their properties.
Don Diego’s Restaurant
Among those who used the grant programs this year were:
Wells Fargo
Quintana’s Music
Weaving in Beauty Gallup BID Improvement grant programs are sponsored and managed by Gallup Business Improvement District gogallup.com
*including rental cost of skates or blades
book your next
at sk8 connect
(505) 722-3318 December 2023
55
A Slice of History and Pie: Day Trip to Pie Town from Gallup
56 December 2023
Embark on a delightful day trip from Gallup, New Mexico to the quaint and quirky Pie Town, nestled along U.S. Highway 60. A scenic drive of about 250 miles, journeying through the ruggedly beautiful landscape of New Mexico, brings you to this charming town, famous for its mouth-watering pies and rich history.
Forest and the Plains of San Augustin. The area is rich in Native American heritage, with many Ancestral Puebloan and Acoma artifacts discovered nearby. For the more scientifically inclined, the Very Large Array radio telescope is a short drive away, offering a glimpse into the mysteries of the cosmos.
Start your adventure by cruising through Fence Lake and taking a left at Quemado, savoring the vast, open skies and the enchanting Southwestern vistas. Pie Town, a name that tickles the taste buds, owes its moniker to an early 20thcentury bakery known for its delectable dried-apple pies. It’s a town that embodies the spirit of the Old West, combined with a passion for pie-making.
Active travelers can explore the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, which passes through Pie Town, making it a perfect stop for hikers and cyclists. The town’s friendly locals, known for their hospitality, provide lodging and supplies to weary travelers.
Once in Pie Town, don’t miss the opportunity to visit local favorites like Pie Town ‘Ohana’ Cafe and the Pie-O-Neer Homestead. These popular eateries offer a range of delicious pies, from traditional apple to innovative flavors. Be sure to check their hours before heading out, as these small-town businesses have varied schedules. History enthusiasts will appreciate Pie Town’s location near the Gila National
Don’t forget to plan another visit around the Pie Town Annual Pie Festival, held every September. This festive event features a piebaking contest, games, music, and local arts and crafts, celebrating the town’s pie-making heritage. Pie Town is not just a place but an experience, a blend of culinary delight, historical intrigue, and natural beauty. Whether you’re a pie aficionado, a history buff, or just looking for a unique day out, Pie Town promises a slice of New Mexico you won’t soon forget.
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Annual Gallup Journey
Arts Edition Call to artists, writers, poets, photographers and anyone we forgot
Photos
1. Please submit your photos via email gallupjourney@gmail.com, or bring your photos to the Gallup Journey office 210 E. Aztec Ave. 2. FIVE photos per entry. Please include your name and mailing address.
Short Stories
1. Each story must be no more than 750 words 2. Each story must be typed and emailed to gallupjourney@gmail.com with your name and mailing address. 3. ONE entry per person.
Poetry
1. Each poem must be typed and emailed to gallupjourney@gmail.com with your name and mailing address. 2. ONE entry per person
Original Artwork
1. Photos of your original drawings, paintings, sketches and sculptures can be emailed to gallupjourney@gmail.com, with your name and mailing address.
Photo by Daniel DeVries
Submissions due by Friday, December 8, 2023. Send short stories, poems and digital photos to us at gallupjourney@gmail.com or drop off at our office 210 E. Aztec Ave.