Returning Home

Sacred Hopi objects returned to tribe at urging of feds

By Justin Horwath

A "private individual" has returned four sacred objects to the Hopi Tribe after a Bureau of Land Management investigation.


The multi-year investigation by the BLM and Department of Justice centered around the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

"Collecting artifacts from public or tribal lands without a permit is a federal crime," writes Donna Hummel, spokeswoman for the US Bureau of Land Management in New Mexico.

The 1979 law "protects artifacts and archaeological sites," according to the BLM, while the Native American Graves Protection and and Repatriation Act "provides a legal process to aid in the protection and return of items of culturally patrimony," items of "central importance to a tribe for their ongoing historical, traditional or cultural importance."

In December 2013, auctioneers in France sold what was described as a " trove of Hopi Native American artifacts"

despite the objections of the Arizona tribe" and pleas from the US government,

reported

Reuters.

The BLM says the items recently returned are "consecrated by the tribe" and therefore "will not be photographed or further identified."

"It is believed that non-Natives, non-initiates of the tribe and children are not allowed to see the items and to do so is disrespectful to tribal members," writes Hummel.

"We are thankful to partner with the BLM to bring these items home. We consider today a success but continue to deal with the problem of theft, sale, and transfer of these kinds of items and the emotional effect that has on our people,"  Leigh Kuwanisiwma, director of the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office, told the BLM.  "We hope that people start to understand that these items are an integral part of our culture and are essential to the Hopi Tribe."

Santa Fe Reporter

Letters to the Editor

Mail letters to PO Box 4910 Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email them to editor[at]sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.

We also welcome you to follow SFR on social media (on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and comment there. You can also email specific staff members from our contact page.