State approves money to fight fake crafts

The New Mexico Legislature approved earmarking $70,000 to the state regulation and licensing department to create a state “certification” mark that will be placed on arts and crafts made by American Indians in New Mexico, according to the Gallup Independent.

It’s interesting to read this story from the Gallup perspective. Gallup, along with Santa Fe, is a popular place for Route 66ers to buy Indian arts and crafts. But according to Rep. Patty Lundstrom, it’s hard to find the real article in Gallup.

She said she realized Gallup had a major problem in this area when she went to the Indian Plaza in Santa Fe recently and was looking at the jewelry. When asked by one of the vendors if she wanted to buy something, she explained she was from Gallup and could buy anything there.

But the vendor told her, “You can’t get the real stuff there.”

Others have also been saying that Gallup is getting the reputation of becoming the capital not for authentic Indian goods but fakes that are imported from foreign counties where the labor is cheaper.

“I think this is hurting Gallup’s image,” Lundstrom said.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.