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The Hopi Case

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The Legal Challenges involved in US Claims for Sacred Objects vs. French Auction Houses & French Courts
with Pierre Ciric, Esq.
The Ciric Law Firm, LLC

Tuesday, June 30th, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.

441 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC

Background:
To date, seven auctions have been held in Paris, where sacred tribal objects belonging to U.S.-recognized
American Indian Tribes and which are protected by numerous federal and state statutes. The Hopi Tribe has
sought to stop the sales of Hopi ceremonial objects since they started in 2012.

The French Government, as well as French courts, has systematically refused to withdraw the sacred Hopi
objects, called Katsina Friends in prior proceedings by holding the incomprehensible position that the Hopi
Tribe, the Acoma Tribe, and individual tribal members have no legal capacity to challenge these sales. This
grotesque jurisprudence flies in the face of the long-standing recognition of Native American tribal sovereignty
and the fact that U.S. law clearly establishes that federally recognized Indian Tribes have the power to sue in
any number of matters.

The Hopi Tribe is an ancient culture with more than 14,117 enrolled members today that has remained
steadfast to its culture, language, heritage and spirituality. It is also a sovereign nation federally recognized by
the U.S. government and should be treated accordingly.

The Acoma Pueblo Tribe is a federally recognized tribe located west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Acoma
Pueblo Tribe is one of the oldest tribal communities in the United States, with traditions dating back to more
than two thousand years.

All of the sacred items are protected by criminal provisions from a number of federal and state statutes that
governs the preservation and return of Native American cultural items (human remains, funerary objects, sacred
objects, or objects of cultural patrimony) to lineal descendants and cultural affiliated Indian tribes.

All ceremonial and religious objects, such as the Katsina Friends, are under the sole care taking and
responsibility for stewardship by initiated Hopi society members. These members are vested with the care
taking and protection of these sacred entities. As such, they are considered sacred objects and objects of cultural
patrimony and cannot be transferred, sold, conveyed and removed from the jurisdiction without permission of
the Hopi Tribe.

Learn the law, the current challenges and the potential risk for all Native American cultural patrimony.