cover Indian Country as a reporter for NPR member station KJZZ from a base in Flagstaff, which is on the edge of the country's largest reservation. So, I've educated myself about Navajo and Hopi cultural practices. This story, though, really tested me as a reporter and as a member of my community.

Back in April, I that sold 70 Hopi sacred items. The tribe asked that the sale be halted, saying the items were stolen and belonged on its reservation in northern Arizona. The Hopi religion is shrouded in secrecy, so the tribe was in a bind. Tribal leaders wanted the media's help to bring attention to the sale, but they didn't want to talk about what those items were.

When the news of the auction first broke, photos of the ceremonial objects were widely published online. The sacred objects were described by journalists as masks or artifacts.