Back to Gallup

Thursday, August 31, 2006
So here I sit... in The Coffee Shop in Gallup (Gallup to the left). Working on my computer. A bluegrass band is just starting to warm up in front of me. This place appears to have live music every night. This is a rather large band - four piece, two 6-string-guitars, banjo, slide guitar and a plethora of other stringed options lined up behind them. People are filing in to watch. I think I may have stumbled on a reputable band. The last time it was folk with mediocre John Denver and Willie Nelson covers.

New observation: tattoos. Everyone has them. They are black and obviously home-done. People's names and initials on the arms and fingers. Almost haphazard - like signing a cast. An Elder I examined last night had ELIZABETH (among many other things, names, initials and symbols) on his inner forearm. I joked with him about it, told him I was flattered, asked if he knew I was coming. I can't remember what he said exactly but iut something along the lines of how he and I had a long history and he laughed. The room was full of his three daughters, granddaughters, nieces and great granddaughters. Everyone was worried about him but in great spirits. As for the tattoos, I've noticed that some have tattooed on rings and bracelets, armbands and bracelets. Men, women, old and relatively young (maybe as young as teens) have them.

This band is really rocking! They are so good! Very little beats live music. There are three men and a woman. The woman appears to do most of the singing. I keep expecting them to whip out a washboard. But I guess they are more blues than bluegrass now that I'm hearing it. The sounds of the frequent trains blowing behind them is also rather nice and their backdrop is the storefront window and beyond that a lit up colorful mural in front of an Inter-Tribal building.

What is so great about the Zuni, and I keep hearing this over and over, is how pleasant and easy to laugh they are. While I heard about how they (and many other non-Zuni people as we all know) internalize their emotions into physical symptoms, this does not seem to be the case with happiness. Joy and kindness are so abundant.

Today I had diabetes clinic. About a dozen patients in the morning. Most with poor glucose control. One Navajo Elder required an interpreter. The Zuni exercise quite a bit it seems. There's a wellness center with aerobics and apparently popular spin classes. Also, their creation history included “runners” so track and field are very popular sports - Zuni have traveled far and wide for races - China, Boston, Europe among other places that I've heard about so far. And of course walking under Corn Mountain appears to be popular however at night, especially with large groups of families.

I did some orientation today. had to take quizzes on the Patriot Act and fabulous national security type stuffs. I have to remember I am working for the Federal Government. Well, I may have never joined the FBI but the federal government seems to have crept back into my life regardless.

As I close this entry it started pouring rain, the smell of baking pottery has become really strong and the banjo has really started jamming to Blue Suede Shoes.