We began heading West, towards Northern Arizona, in the beginning of 
September. We wanted to get to the Flagstaff area before it got too cold. But the thought of slowing down in Gallup was too overpowering. We'd been told that Gallup is the real center of the universe for the American Indian culture...not Santa Fe, Albuquerque, or even the lands near the Four Corners Region. Gallup, as we found out for ourselves, is the place where many of the Indian artists and craftspeople take their finished goods to sell to the trade. The trade, as it turns out, are the many trading posts you see in the area. Some of these places date back to the 1800's and represent the trust set up between the white settlers and the native people. The white traders are the banking system for the Indians. They sell, or sometimes even pawn, their goods to these trading post people and wait for their money from the government or any other income to replentish them. The system has been operating like this since the first white people came from the east and continues to this day. Walking into some of the trading posts is an experience that may beg more questions than answers at first. Like "where do all these old saddles come from?" Some places have hundreds of them..all lined up inside the store. Answer? The Indians pawn them every time they need extra money, and then when it comes in, they come back for the saddle! 
Fascinating! More fascinating is the trust built up over the years between the traders and the Indians. A whole, separate financial system exists out here. Prices for good Indian jewelry and other goods is far lower here than in Santa Fe, Scottsdale, or other fashionable places to buy it. We took a side trip to Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "DESHAY") and the Hubbell Trading Post, fairly close by, and had a tour of the area.John Hubbell was a postal employee in Albuquerque and was bored with city life. The story goes, 
he got on a horse, rode until he reached this remote place, settled down here and bought the newly established post in 1878. He gained the Navajo's trust and the post continued operating within the same family until 1965, when it was sold to the US government, still operating and, today, is a living museum. Many now famous Indian artists traded their creations for staples and Hubbell began to amass an amazing collection, some of which is still displayed here. The trading post looks about the same as it did a hundred years ago. you can still buy many of the same goods here as then. Although we wouldn't consider Gallup a major vacation destination, it served our purpose well, to explore the Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi areas...and afford a place for Mary Ann to add another piece of silver inlay jewelry (a beautiful ring) to her collection!
September. We wanted to get to the Flagstaff area before it got too cold. But the thought of slowing down in Gallup was too overpowering. We'd been told that Gallup is the real center of the universe for the American Indian culture...not Santa Fe, Albuquerque, or even the lands near the Four Corners Region. Gallup, as we found out for ourselves, is the place where many of the Indian artists and craftspeople take their finished goods to sell to the trade. The trade, as it turns out, are the many trading posts you see in the area. Some of these places date back to the 1800's and represent the trust set up between the white settlers and the native people. The white traders are the banking system for the Indians. They sell, or sometimes even pawn, their goods to these trading post people and wait for their money from the government or any other income to replentish them. The system has been operating like this since the first white people came from the east and continues to this day. Walking into some of the trading posts is an experience that may beg more questions than answers at first. Like "where do all these old saddles come from?" Some places have hundreds of them..all lined up inside the store. Answer? The Indians pawn them every time they need extra money, and then when it comes in, they come back for the saddle! Fascinating! More fascinating is the trust built up over the years between the traders and the Indians. A whole, separate financial system exists out here. Prices for good Indian jewelry and other goods is far lower here than in Santa Fe, Scottsdale, or other fashionable places to buy it. We took a side trip to Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "DESHAY") and the Hubbell Trading Post, fairly close by, and had a tour of the area.John Hubbell was a postal employee in Albuquerque and was bored with city life. The story goes, 
he got on a horse, rode until he reached this remote place, settled down here and bought the newly established post in 1878. He gained the Navajo's trust and the post continued operating within the same family until 1965, when it was sold to the US government, still operating and, today, is a living museum. Many now famous Indian artists traded their creations for staples and Hubbell began to amass an amazing collection, some of which is still displayed here. The trading post looks about the same as it did a hundred years ago. you can still buy many of the same goods here as then. Although we wouldn't consider Gallup a major vacation destination, it served our purpose well, to explore the Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi areas...and afford a place for Mary Ann to add another piece of silver inlay jewelry (a beautiful ring) to her collection! 
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