Greetings. I recently inherited a handful of Native American pieces that once belonged to my father, who was a great admirer and friend to both Hopi and Navajo communities. He was a pediatrician who lived and practiced medicine on the Navajo and Hopi reservations, during the late 1950s and early 1960s. I’m hoping to learn a bit more about some of these pieces, or be pointed in the right direction.
When I was a young boy and our family was relocating from California to the East Coast, my father and I visited a few of his old friends in Tuba City and Second Mesa. I remember visiting a family who lived in Walpi, and up on the mesa. I’ll never forget the hospitality and kindness we were shown during our visit.
One day were escorted to a remote cave by one of his friends, perhaps to the West of the mesa, in which we were invited to collect some of the many pieces of broken pottery and whatnot littering the floor. These artifacts in particular are told to be possibly pre-Spanish era. One of my goals in visiting this online community, is that I’d like to find out how and who to contact to look into returning these artifacts to their respective community of origin.
I’ve not had the pieces officially authenticated, though I have shown photos to a Southwestern native culture academic department member who said he felt the artifacts in question were indeed pre-Spanish era, and ought to find their way back where they belong. I whole heartedly agree with that sentiment. I’m happy to post photos if anyone is interested.