Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial

One of my memories of growing up was every summer my Dad, (Jesse Johnston) worked at the "Ceremonial."
(Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial)

The Ceremonial was started in the 1930's by a small group of "Traders" and other businessmen in and around Gallup, New Mexico. I think it was the first year, or at least in one of the very first years, that my dad and others took troops of dancers to Hollywood where they (the native Americans), performed in a couple of venues.

Dad told of one of the Groups getting stage fright and wouldn't go on stage at Grauman's Chinese Theater. As I remember it was the Zuni dancers. Anyway Dad was dressed in his flashy Ceremonial uniform, consisting of hat, boots, Levis, brightly colored satin shirt and bandanna tied around his neck. He had a lariat in his hand and started twirling it and walked out on the stage, and the dancers followed him and did their thing.

Jesse Johnston, Eugene Lambson, Elwidor Bond, Athling Bond and many others from Ramah worked at the Ceremonial. My Dad was there for the first 37 years of the run and was "Program Director" most of those years. When I was old enough to go stay with Dad, it was his job, along with Eugene "Uncle Gene" Lambson to align the performer's sequence in the Grand Entry and determine the order they would go on stage. This was done for the evening performances and the parade. They knew the dances and arranged the order to give variety and interest to the show.
There was only one constant! At the end of the show, when the bonfires were burning down, the lights would go off and the "Navajo Fire Dancers" would close the show. Their bodies were painted white and they carried bundles of cedar bark, which they lighted in the bonfires. They would sing and dance and wave, throw, and do other stuff with the firebrands. It was always exciting and colorful. Sparks going everywhere!
The one performance they never had control of was the singing of "Old Joe Crazyhorse", a Zuni who when HE felt it was right went to the center of the arena, walked up to the microphone (hidden in a small pinon tree), and gave his song. One year I remember the lyrics said "That's alright, now give me the money" all in his native Zuni language. He never missed a parade where he walked with a boy on his shoulders. Not even the year he was hospitalized with staph infection in his leg. Come parade time he got out of bed, walked in the parade and then returned to his bed - all in his pajamas.

This photo was taken in August 1939.
I don't know who the Navajos are, but the men are: left Jesse Johnston and right Eugene Lambson. The lady standing in the center is probably Peggy Schmaltz.
That year most if not all of the performers were housed in tents as permanent housing had not yet been constructed. For many years this event provided some income for the Native Americans, an opportunity for socializing on a grand scale, and education for the tourists and other attendees about authentic Native American culture and ceremonies. There were exhibits of very fine arts and crafts. Everything from Navajo sand painting and rug weaving to the world's smallest woven basket. The basket was made from 1 blade of grass and had to be viewed under a magnifying glass. For many years the performers were introduced and a small description of their dance and the significance to their tribe was given by Homer Powers. Mr. Powers was diligent and accurate in his research and kept an ever growing card file that kept pace with the new performances. It was at the Ceremonial where Tony Whitecloud introduced the "Hoop Dance." I think I remember him dancing with 10 hoops; now it is danced with 3 times that number. If you have never seen this dance you have missed a treat. I last saw it performed in the Ramah High School Gym by a mamber of the ROC dance troop.
In 1940 or 1941 the Japanese ambassadorial legation visited the Ceremonial and met my Dad. Later when my brother George Johnston was captured on Bataan, made the "Death March" and imprisoned as a POW in Hoten Prison Camp in Manchuria, he met one of the Japanese men who had met my father in Gallup, before the war.

It has been a real treat to receive this photo from a friend and double cousin, Preston Lambson. Preston has given me a lot of Ceremonial pictures. He is a grandson of Eugene Lambson (photo) and son of Ray Lambson.
Preston -  thanks a lot.

This post is all archive so I'll add photos as I get them digitized.