Navajo Nation Vice President Rex Lee Jim is on a mission. On Dec. 11, he left for Paris, France for the repatriation of Navajo ceremonial masks. On Sunday, he met with U.S. Embassy-Paris officials to discuss strategy for the return of the eight Yei Bi Chei masks on the auction block.
As of midnight EST, the masks were still in the catalogue of items to be auctioned off today. A private collector put the items up for auction through the Paris auction house.
The masks were used in the Tł’éé’jí Hatáál, also known as the Night Way Chant healing ceremony. The nine-day ceremony features the use of Yei Bi Chei masks, which represent the Navajo deities, Talking God and Black God.
The 140-page Eve American Indian and Columbian Art catalog features native masks, garments, sculptures, kachinas, jewelry, rugs, pottery, baskets and other items of cultural significance from tribes across the Americas.
The Navajo Nation legislative branch funded the trip for the NNHRC. The Navajo Nation Council’s Naa’bik’iyati’ Committee and its subcommittee, the Sacred Site Task Force, held several meetings with Navajo Historic Preservation Department to plan for the return of the masks.
On Dec. 10, the task force directed the NNHRC to plan a delegation to retrieve the masks before the close of the auction. Bidding for the items will close on Dec. 15. The vice president was selected to join the delegation because of his knowledge as a Navajo medicine man and ability to authenticate the items.
“The purpose of this trip is to retrieve eight Yei Bi Chei masks that were taken from the Navajo Nation and transported to Paris, France,” Vice President Jim said. “The goal is to outright purchase these items before they go on sale to the public.”
Each mask is valued from $300 to $1,000.
The selling of these types of artifacts is illegal in the United States. The Office of the President and Vice President are planning to host a forum some time in the future to explain that the sale of sacred tribal items is unacceptable.