John invited me here with him so he can write about his experience at the Marketplace for his assignment. Being extremely supportive after a night of drinking, I decided to go with him. Honestly, he mentioned something about fried bread. But he knew. He knew he got me at fried. Anything fried, you might as well just take my money.
But his assignment was pretty cool. I mean, he was to write about how people from the outside, like me, see Indian art and how it's perceived. Or bystanders who know nothing, but assumes it's categorized as Indian art. A lot that is shown in this marketplace, has a mix of everything. To open, untrained eyes, like mine, I would assume that all items I saw were Indian art. Though it kind of is, a lot of it is inspired and somehow derived from the culture and knowledge.
For example, we came across a vendor who were selling her clay & bronze figures. Her name was Kathleen Wall.
“My personal relationship with my art work starts with the intent of creating a full-circle cultural experience. I embrace the heritage of the people around me and absorb the knowledge that they have to offer. It begins with an emotional response, then a thought, which then becomes my finished piece, expressed through my eyes and hands. That very personal experience is passed on to others.”
Kathleen Wall was describing how her art was in no way a representation of how her clan looks like. The art of pottery and sculpting these figures is where she was inspired by her grandmother and her heritage. She kept the corn husk, as it is a huge symbol of that. I loved all the details she put in, and her passion really shined through.
As we walked around, we saw a lot of this:
Kachina dolls
“Hopi katsina figures (Hopi language: tithu or katsintithu), also known as kachina dolls are figures carved, typically from cottonwood root, by Hopi people to instruct young girls and new brides about katsinas or katsinam, the immortal beings that bring rain, control other aspects of the natural world and society, and act as messengers between humans and the spirit world”
That's pretty interesting right? Look more about this on Wikipedia here.
Now to the fried bread party.
The dough is fried in canola oil until it's golden brown. I wasn't too hungry since I literally ate a little before this, but the smell of fried dough, you just can't beat it. And honestly, I don't think I can say no to anything fried (don't start pulling the "Annnyyytthhinngg?" joke. GET-OUT!)
Original
For a hefty $10.50, you get this. But just imagine the killer amount of money they are making off of this! $10.50. Fried dough. How much is it to make dough? Go Google that. Now wrap your head in this chili. Exactly. Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and cheddar cheese. Yeah. Will I order this shit again? Yes.
I'm sorry. The fried bread was fluffy and perfectly chewy. What I would do next time, is add more meat for extra $$, add sour cream for extra $$, and Jalapenos for extra $$. Like I said, TAKE MY MONEY.
You can also order this with just their meat sauce or their sweet versions like honey butter. The toppings reminded me of Taco Bell, which doesn't seem too surprising consider this feeling more Tex-Mex. BY THE WAY, they serve Frito Pie. I didn't get it unfortunately, but will do so next time.
My future backyard. Pretty cool huh? This market was a special event and has unfortunately ended last weekend. If you are ever in the Los Angeles area, just check the local museums for events. It's pretty amazing what they can put together since a lot of it is sponsored by big companies.
Stuff like this makes me happy to live in LA.
Now... I must make my own fried-bread-taco bell chili meat sauce-for holiday party. I am a changed woman.
Daisy