Sacred item that was sold in auction is returned to Hopi Tribe

Tuesday, July 16, 2013  

A sacred item that was sold during a controversial auction in France has been returned to the Hopi Tribe of Arizona.

Attorney Pierre Servan-Schreiber bought the katchina after legal attempts to stop the auction failed. His intent was to return the sacred property to its rightful owners.

A second item that was purchased during the auction is also being returned to the tribe, Survival International said.

Get the Story:
Sacred object handed back to Hopi tribe after ‘shameful’ Paris auction (Survival International 7/15)
Ceremonial mask returned to Arizona's Hopi tribe (AFP 7/15)
Arts Beat: Hopi Artifact Is Returned (The New York Times 7/15)
Sacred Item Returned To Hopi (KPBS 7/16)

Miranda Belarde-Lewis: Auction a dark day for Pueblo people (04/25)
Native Sun News: Hopi Tribe fights to stop sale of sacred items (04/19)
ICT interview with art expert about sale of tribal cultural items (04/18)
Auction of tribal cultural items in France fetches less than $1M (04/15)