Leaders of Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico have been meeting with museums in Europe to seek the return of sacred property.

The tribe was one of the first to reclaim its property under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. But the law doesn't apply to overseas institutions so the tribe is hoping to convince museums in France, the Netherlands and other countries to return them voluntarily.

“We believe if you listen to us about the power these objects have to our community, that these are exemplars of sacred objects, of communally owned objects," that they will be returned, elder Octavius Seowtewa told The New York Times.

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Zuni Petition European Museums to Return Sacred Objects (The New York Times 4/8)