In late August, a 15-inch wooden war god which had been consigned to Cowan’s Auctions was returned to Zuni Pueblo. Danica Farnand, who is Cowan’s Director of Native American art and an ATADA Board Member, recognized the cultural significance of the carving and worked with the consignor to return it through ATADA’s Voluntary Returns program.
Read more about the return of this item ➤
A Zuni Pottery Jar
via Wikimedia Commons, Sailko / CC BY
Our commitment to building trust and finding solutions:
ATADA is committed to working with sovereign Native Nations to find solutions to issues of cultural patrimony. In 2016, ATADA created the Voluntary Returns Program which is community-based initiative designed to bring sacred and highly valued ceremonial objects to Native American tribes. Returns take place through a consultative process in which ATADA representatives work directly with community and spiritual leaders of Native Nations.
ATADA President, Kim Martindale notes:
"This Zuni War God is just one of over 300 items that the Authentic Tribal Art Dealers Association has helped to return to sovereign Native Nations. ATADA has also worked on a number of returns of objects to indigenous communities globally. As an organization, the Authentic Tribal Art Dealers Association has pursued an open dialog with Native Nations and indigenous communities in order to return essential cultural items to them on a purely voluntary basis. The items that have been returned were purchased legally. However, as our understanding developed, our art dealer members and many collectors have grown to understand how important these items are. We recognized the need to return key cultural items regardless of their legal status and that's why we started the Voluntary Returns program. We’ve also incorporated descriptions of items that are not appropriate to trade in into our organization’s Bylaws. Our commitment to work with all Native Nations and indigenous communities is clear. We want to ensure that the Native American art market remains a viable and flourishing one for both Native artists and promoters of authentic indigenous items and that it continues to work to safeguard and preserve cultural treasures."
You can learn more about the Voluntary Returns Program at: https://atada.org/voluntary-returns