get my attention saying, I need to talk
to you privately,” Adkisson recalls. To
her surprise, he purchased two large
Navajo rugs, stuffing them into his
backpack and hurrying out to catch the
train.
she taught, continuing to invest in their
traditional compositions. Annually, she
travels miles over twisty mountain roads
and desolate deserts, sometimes waiting
outside the home for two – three hours,
respecting their cultural mores. Her
sensitivities toward Native American
culture reverberate into the resurgence
of Trinidad’s community spirit. Her
daily dealing with customers often has
her assisting travelers by escorting them
to the train station or local restaurants.
In the fall of 2015, Purgatoire
River hosted renowned artist Calvin
Begay in Trinidad. “He’s really a
phenomenal artist,” Adkisson said.
“He’s the foremost inlay artist working
on the Navajo Nation today.” In just
a few hours over 600 guests attended
the show. However, one insistent
client appeared on the scene wearing
a ragged backpack. “He kept trying to
Vibeke Adkisson’s decade
of devotion (2006-2016) to Trinidad’s
downtown is overwhelming as she
continually plants seeds of revival.
Sharing her business acumen, she’s
booked many volunteer hours
working with the downtown merchant
association, Chamber of Commerce,
City of Trinidad committees, Trinidad
State Junior College’s Educational
Foundation and President’s Advisory
Council.
We, at New Legends Magazine,
admire her unique contribution and
vision for Trinidad and Las Animas
County’s economic future. Her humble
and gentle recognition of the self-worth
of every individual is remarkable.
Her knowledge of this region’s past
is represented in the Apache burden
basket, fashioned from cottonwood
and mulberry sticks. Apache women
used this as a utility basket to gather
fruits, berries, herbs and nuts. The tin
cones, made from old tobacco can lids,
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wards off snakes, as the women walked
through the deserts.
Mrs. Adkisson gathers rare
and “museum quality” artifacts from
authentic and legendary tribes who
originally settled in the Southwest for
Purgatory River Trading Company.
Her propensity for understanding
these diverse cultures surrounds her
forward-looking philosophy of working
as a team to preserve and defend the
past. Her slogan - “It has to be a group
effort!”
N 17