Fry Bread at Ohkay Owingeh

Santa Fe, New Mexico bills itself as the "City Different." I think they're on to something. When I visited a couple of weeks ago, a bowl of oatmeal, blueberries, and a cup of coffee set me back $13. Okay, they were all organic. And the cafe was beautiful-- a harmonious blend of modernism and southwestern chic. But I wanted beauty on a budget, so kept driving north.

Just 20 minutes later I found paradise. For the past three dozen years Native Americans in northern New Mexico have been hosting an annual arts and crafts market. This year the market was held at the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Visitor Center near Ohkay Owingeh just north of Espanola, New Mexico. Hundreds of crafts persons sold all manner of goods: pottery, jewelry, beadwork, blankets, sculpture, paintings, and woodcarving. There was also dancing. Pueblo members dressed in elaborate costumes performed the deer dance, buffalo dance, and others. All of this took place outside.

The master of ceremonies talked a bit about cultural preservation. He mentioned how important the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was to preservation of pueblo culture, and pointed out how the puebloans continue to push for federal legislation to safeguard pueblo languages. It struck me that this open air market was also an important tool toward preserving pueblo culture. By bringing crafts persons from all over northern New Mexico together, the market brought about a critical mass that attracted buyers from as far away as California, Mississippi, and the Netherlands. Markets are the handmaiden of culture.

The arts and crafts market was more than a feast for the eyes and ears. My sense of taste (or what passes for it) was also rewarded. For $5 I enjoyed iced tea and fry bread with beans and cheese. Add this to the $5 market admission, and I got a full day's cultural experience for less than I'd spend at the movies. If Santa Fe is the "City Different," the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts and Crafts Show is the "Market Different." It's a difference that broadens the mind and doesn't put you in debt.

For more information, visit the eight northern pueblos web site: http://www.eightnorthernpueblos.com/