As August approaches, disagreements remain between the two Ceremonial events, the live performances and the virtual broadcasts.
The Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Association, known to some as the local office, has moved its operations from 206 Coal Ave. to 2105 E. Aztec Ave.
Dudley Byerly says it has no relationship with the Intertribal Ceremonial Office, which is run by the State of New Mexico.
Byerley who is a former director of Ceremonial, told the Sun, July 20 that efforts to cooperate with the state’s event were a failure.
“We tried our best to work with those folks. They rejected everything we put to ‘em,” he said.
He said the state indicated the local event would receive $30,000 from 2019.
“And then they backed out on that,” he said.
Byerley also said the state changed its mind about taking care of everything except the art show and the rodeo, and leaving those events to the local association.
“We have no agreement with the State of New Mexico,” he proclaimed. “The original local Ceremonial Association this year is putting on everything we can do with the money we’re getting, and it will be 100 percent locally sponsored.
“If anybody puts heads in beds … it will be the local association, not the state of N.M.,” he continued.
“We want to invite everybody to come out. Ceremonial belongs to the people in our area and it should remain so,” Byerley said.
The Gallup Sun reached out to the State of New Mexico Intertribal Ceremonial Office, but received no reply by press time.
By Beth Blakeman
Managing Editor
