.
Chilling video of genocide denier in Paris who is auctioning off sacred items of Hopi and Navajos
Article by Brenda Norrell
Exclusive video obtained by Indigenous Resistance
PARIS -- The EVE Auction in Paris continued the auction of Hopi and Navajo sacred items for the fourth year on June 27, 2014. This video reveals the genocide denier responsible for auctioning off sacred items of Hopi and Navajo. As Alan Leroy rips the posters from the wall, Klee Benally, Dine', tells the profiteer he is committing genocide.
Benally challenges the auctions.
Responding with racism and hostility, Leroy tells Benally, "You were never killed by anybody."
Benally says the items were stolen. "The burden of proof is on you. You are committing cultural genocide."
Benally says these cultural items would never be sold. He points out that the traditional medicine people say these items must be returned.
"We are not killing anybody," Leroy said. Further, Leroy insults Navajos.
"All cultural properties are up for sale in all religions," says Leroy.
Benally said, "These things were stolen, they were not sold."
Benally delivered the following letter to the Eve Auction in Paris.
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Eve Auction Paris: Cease Auctioning Indigenous Sacred Cultural Property
Master Alan Leroy denies the genocide of Native Americans – there is a French law against genocide denial – he claims that the masks he sells were made for tourists – which means that he is cheating on his customers, as objects made for tourists are sold at tourist shops, not at auctions – he claims that the Hopi have to thank the White invaders for bringing medical knowledge to them – the demonstrators replied that they first brought the deadly diseases, we could add that they are destroying the land where Native Americans used to pick their healing plants, and the air they breathe, etc.
Klee Benally, who was very shocked to hear about another scandalous sale of sacred artifacts (the 4th in a year), moreover including Diné (Navajo) objects, this time, decided to go to the office of the firm EVE (9 rue Milton, 75009, Paris), to deliver a letter of protest.
A small group of people – from Idle No More France and CSIA, among others – decided to join him. When we arrived in the street, the very few protesters were standing at a corner, at some distance of the office. A young man who had decided to support the action told us that he had tried to go into the office, as an individual asking for information, but that the young woman in charge had forbidden him to get in and locked the door. Shortly after, she came out for her lunch break and stopped to tell the protesters that she had been extremely intimidated and scared by that young man (who died his hair red and did not have the look of her usual customers, but was not intimidating in anyway – See the video), obviously trying to prepare for a law suit.
Then she called her boss, Master Alan Leroy, to inform him of the situation. In between, the protesters started to stick posters on the windows of the office. Then Master Leroy himself arrived, tore the posters, shouting that it was damaging his building (they were just stuck with tape and he could tear them without any effort). Klee tried to explain to him that he just wanted to deliver a letter and discuss the matter peacefully. But Mr. Leroy started with denying the genocide of Native Americans, claimed that the artifacts had been sold by the Natives themselves, although he did not have a document proving it, but claimed that ‘everybody knew that Native Americans never had papers’! He claimed that nobody had any right to challenge his rights to sell sacred objects, as ‘all the courts have ruled for the 4th time that the sale was legal’.
As a matter of fact, ‘all the courts’ are the court of the neighborhood, with that one Madame Judge who has no knowledge what so ever of Native Americans and just believes that Constitutions protect private property and the right to trade.
Mr. Leroy also referred abundantly to the right of private property, guaranteed by French and American Law. He also claimed that those artifacts were preserved thanks to white collectors (suggesting that Natives are not able to preserve their inheritance) and that they would not exist anymore if they had not been sold to while people. Then, at a point, he claimed that the masks were not sacred but had been made specially for tourists, which amounts to admit that he is cheating on his customers, as they certainly don’t go to an auction to buy tourist junk.
The Eve Auction catalogue of sacred items is online. Please be advised that this link is posted as evidence. The photographing of sacred items is reprehensible: http://www.auctioneve.com/
In related news this week, a whistleblower has confirmed the sinister history of the United States with Native American remains. A whistleblower reveals that the US erased and altered records to hide the mismanagement of Native American remains. The exposure confirms what was previously reported about the United States dark and sinister history -- at the Smithsonian, US Interior and elsewhere -- regarding Native American remains and the United States government's violations of the NAGPRA law. Further, the Smithsonian harbors skulls from a racist and sinister experiment which included the payment of bounty for Native American skulls. Read more at: http://indigenousresistancejuly2014.blogspot.com/2014/07/whistleblower-us-erased-records-of.html
Read more about the auction of the sacred in Paris and court rulings at New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/arts/design/sale-of-hopi-religious-items-continues-despite-us-embassys-efforts.html?_r=0
 |
| Click arrow below to watch video |
Article by Brenda Norrell
Exclusive video obtained by Indigenous Resistance
PARIS -- The EVE Auction in Paris continued the auction of Hopi and Navajo sacred items for the fourth year on June 27, 2014. This video reveals the genocide denier responsible for auctioning off sacred items of Hopi and Navajo. As Alan Leroy rips the posters from the wall, Klee Benally, Dine', tells the profiteer he is committing genocide.
Benally challenges the auctions.
Responding with racism and hostility, Leroy tells Benally, "You were never killed by anybody."
Benally says the items were stolen. "The burden of proof is on you. You are committing cultural genocide."
Benally says these cultural items would never be sold. He points out that the traditional medicine people say these items must be returned.
"We are not killing anybody," Leroy said. Further, Leroy insults Navajos.
"All cultural properties are up for sale in all religions," says Leroy.
Benally said, "These things were stolen, they were not sold."
Benally delivered the following letter to the Eve Auction in Paris.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eve Auction Paris: Cease Auctioning Indigenous Sacred Cultural Property
To whom it may concern,
Eve must immediately cease auctioning any and all indigenous sacred cultural property.
Eve perpetuates cultural genocide each time an auction of indigenous history and identity occurs. We can only assume that these sacred indigenous properties are stolen or attained through duplicity without free prior or informed consent.
Eve must immediately enter into meaningful consultation with impacted indigenous nations regarding any and all past and future auctions of sacred cultural properties and work to immediately return all such sacred cultural properties.
Eve must also remove any and all published pictures in digital format or print of such sacred cultural properties, specifically those names as "masks."
Auctions of this nature would not be acceptable were it of sacred cultural properties from the Vatican, Mecca, or any other established religious or cultural ways of life.
Further, these auctions create a market for indigenous sacred cultural property which further endangers our threatened ways of life.
These auctions of cultural genocide must stop now!
Signed,
Klee Benally, Diné - Flagstaff, Arizona & Forest Lake Chapter
Sylvain Duez-Alesandrini - CSIA - Nitassinan www.csia-nitassinan.org
Idle No More France
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Supporters who were present in Paris, sent this report to Indigenous Resistance:Master Alan Leroy denies the genocide of Native Americans – there is a French law against genocide denial – he claims that the masks he sells were made for tourists – which means that he is cheating on his customers, as objects made for tourists are sold at tourist shops, not at auctions – he claims that the Hopi have to thank the White invaders for bringing medical knowledge to them – the demonstrators replied that they first brought the deadly diseases, we could add that they are destroying the land where Native Americans used to pick their healing plants, and the air they breathe, etc.
Klee Benally, who was very shocked to hear about another scandalous sale of sacred artifacts (the 4th in a year), moreover including Diné (Navajo) objects, this time, decided to go to the office of the firm EVE (9 rue Milton, 75009, Paris), to deliver a letter of protest.
A small group of people – from Idle No More France and CSIA, among others – decided to join him. When we arrived in the street, the very few protesters were standing at a corner, at some distance of the office. A young man who had decided to support the action told us that he had tried to go into the office, as an individual asking for information, but that the young woman in charge had forbidden him to get in and locked the door. Shortly after, she came out for her lunch break and stopped to tell the protesters that she had been extremely intimidated and scared by that young man (who died his hair red and did not have the look of her usual customers, but was not intimidating in anyway – See the video), obviously trying to prepare for a law suit.
Then she called her boss, Master Alan Leroy, to inform him of the situation. In between, the protesters started to stick posters on the windows of the office. Then Master Leroy himself arrived, tore the posters, shouting that it was damaging his building (they were just stuck with tape and he could tear them without any effort). Klee tried to explain to him that he just wanted to deliver a letter and discuss the matter peacefully. But Mr. Leroy started with denying the genocide of Native Americans, claimed that the artifacts had been sold by the Natives themselves, although he did not have a document proving it, but claimed that ‘everybody knew that Native Americans never had papers’! He claimed that nobody had any right to challenge his rights to sell sacred objects, as ‘all the courts have ruled for the 4th time that the sale was legal’.
As a matter of fact, ‘all the courts’ are the court of the neighborhood, with that one Madame Judge who has no knowledge what so ever of Native Americans and just believes that Constitutions protect private property and the right to trade.
Mr. Leroy also referred abundantly to the right of private property, guaranteed by French and American Law. He also claimed that those artifacts were preserved thanks to white collectors (suggesting that Natives are not able to preserve their inheritance) and that they would not exist anymore if they had not been sold to while people. Then, at a point, he claimed that the masks were not sacred but had been made specially for tourists, which amounts to admit that he is cheating on his customers, as they certainly don’t go to an auction to buy tourist junk.
The Eve Auction catalogue of sacred items is online. Please be advised that this link is posted as evidence. The photographing of sacred items is reprehensible: http://www.auctioneve.com/
In related news this week, a whistleblower has confirmed the sinister history of the United States with Native American remains. A whistleblower reveals that the US erased and altered records to hide the mismanagement of Native American remains. The exposure confirms what was previously reported about the United States dark and sinister history -- at the Smithsonian, US Interior and elsewhere -- regarding Native American remains and the United States government's violations of the NAGPRA law. Further, the Smithsonian harbors skulls from a racist and sinister experiment which included the payment of bounty for Native American skulls. Read more at: http://indigenousresistancejuly2014.blogspot.com/2014/07/whistleblower-us-erased-records-of.html
Read more about the auction of the sacred in Paris and court rulings at New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/arts/design/sale-of-hopi-religious-items-continues-despite-us-embassys-efforts.html?_r=0
30 juillet 2014
Par Christine Prat
Par Christine Prat
In English, see article by Brenda Norrell on Indigenous Resistance
Le 27 juin 2014 une vente aux enchères scandaleuse d’objets sacrés Amérindiens a eu lieu, pour la quatrième fois en un peu plus d’un an, malgré les objections des Autochtones et la protestation de l’Ambassade des Etats-Unis (voir article du New York Times du 29 juin). Cette fois, il s’agissait de la firme EVE, qui a publié son catalogue sur Internet. Klee Benally, Diné [Navajo] – qui avait été un des premiers à nous alerter lors de la première vente de Kachina Hopi, dénoncée par M. le Directeur des Affaires Culturelles Hopi et M. le Président Leroy Shingoitewa – se trouvait en France cette fois-ci, et a décidé de remettre une lettre de protestation, signée par lui-même, par des représentants d’Idle No More France, du CSIA-nitassinan (dont le Président S. Duez-Alessandrini et moi-même) et des individus soutenant le texte. Au soir du 1er juillet, lors d’une présentation publique, il a annoncé et expliqué son intention d’aller remettre la lettre traduite ci-dessous le lendemain :
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Enchères organisées par Eve à Paris : Cessez de mettre aux enchères la Propriété Culturelle Sacrée des Autochtones
A qui de droit,
Eve doit cesser immédiatement de mettre aux enchères toutes propriétés culturelles et sacrées Autochtones.
Eve perpétue le génocide culturel chaque fois qu’une mise aux enchères de l’histoire et de l’identité culturelle des Autochtones se produit. Nous ne pouvons qu’être convaincus que ces possessions Autochtones sacrées ont été volées ou obtenues par la duplicité, sans consentement préalable, libre et éclairé.
Eve perpétue le génocide culturel chaque fois qu’une mise aux enchères de l’histoire et de l’identité culturelle des Autochtones se produit. Nous ne pouvons qu’être convaincus que ces possessions Autochtones sacrées ont été volées ou obtenues par la duplicité, sans consentement préalable, libre et éclairé.
Eve doit immédiatement entreprendre des consultations significatives avec les nations Autochtones touchées sur toutes les ventes aux enchères passées ou à venir de possessions culturelles sacrées, et entreprendre les actions nécessaires pour restituer toutes les possessions culturelles sacrées.
Eve doit également retirer toutes les images publiées sous forme digitale ou imprimées de tels objets sacrés, en particulier ceux appelés « masques ».
Des ventes aux enchères de ce type ne seraient pas acceptables s’il s’agissait de possessions culturelles du Vatican, de la Mecque, ou de tout autre mode de vie culturel ou religieux établi.
De plus, ces enchères créent un marché pour les possessions culturelles sacrées Autochtones, ce qui contribue à menacer d’avantage nos modes de vie.
Ces enchères constituant un génocide culturel doivent cesser immédiatement !
Signé,
Klee Benally, Diné – Flagstaff, Arizona & Forest Lake Chapter
Sylvain Duez-Alessandrini – CSIA – Nitassinan www.csia-nitassinan.org
Idle No More France
Klee Benally, Diné – Flagstaff, Arizona & Forest Lake Chapter
Sylvain Duez-Alessandrini – CSIA – Nitassinan www.csia-nitassinan.org
Idle No More France
———————————————————–
Le 2 juillet 2014, Klee Benally, accompagné de quelques personnes – entre autres d’Idle No More France et du CSIA-Nitassinan – s’est donc rendu au siège de la firme Eve afin de remettre la lettre et de tenter d’expliquer la position des Autochtones aux responsables.
Lorsque je suis arrivée sur les lieus, un tout petit groupe de supporters était réuni autour de Klee Benally, à bonne distance du siège d’Eve. Un jeune homme a raconté qu’étant arrivé seul, il avait tenté de pousser la porte d’Eve afin de se renseigner. La jeune femme présente lui avait intimé l’ordre de ressortir et avait précipitamment fermé la porte à clef. Quelques minutes plus tard, lorsqu’elle est sortie pour sa pause déjeuner, elle est venue vers le groupe, a prétendu avoir été intimidée et se sentir menacée. Le jeune homme n’avait certes pas le style vestimentaire habituel de ses clients, mais il n’avait rien d’intimidant. Après avoir répété que la présence du petit groupe l’intimidait, elle a appelé son supérieur hiérarchique, lui a longuement expliqué l’affaire, puis a quitté les lieus. Alors, Klee Benally, aidé d’une ou deux personnes, a commencé à coller des affiches à l’aide de ruban adhésif sur la vitrine d’Eve. C’est à ce moment que le Supérieur Hiérarchique, très énervé, est arrivé en vociférant que les activistes étaient en train de dégrader son immeuble ! Il a arraché les affiches sans aucun effort – le ruban adhésif cause peu de dégâts sur du verre sécurisé.
Lorsque je suis arrivée sur les lieus, un tout petit groupe de supporters était réuni autour de Klee Benally, à bonne distance du siège d’Eve. Un jeune homme a raconté qu’étant arrivé seul, il avait tenté de pousser la porte d’Eve afin de se renseigner. La jeune femme présente lui avait intimé l’ordre de ressortir et avait précipitamment fermé la porte à clef. Quelques minutes plus tard, lorsqu’elle est sortie pour sa pause déjeuner, elle est venue vers le groupe, a prétendu avoir été intimidée et se sentir menacée. Le jeune homme n’avait certes pas le style vestimentaire habituel de ses clients, mais il n’avait rien d’intimidant. Après avoir répété que la présence du petit groupe l’intimidait, elle a appelé son supérieur hiérarchique, lui a longuement expliqué l’affaire, puis a quitté les lieus. Alors, Klee Benally, aidé d’une ou deux personnes, a commencé à coller des affiches à l’aide de ruban adhésif sur la vitrine d’Eve. C’est à ce moment que le Supérieur Hiérarchique, très énervé, est arrivé en vociférant que les activistes étaient en train de dégrader son immeuble ! Il a arraché les affiches sans aucun effort – le ruban adhésif cause peu de dégâts sur du verre sécurisé.
Klee Benally a tenté de lui expliquer la position des autochtones. Le Supérieur Hiérarchique – Maître Alain Leroy, d’après la photo publiée par le New York Times dans son article du 29 juin – s’est d’abord livré à une négation du génocide des Amérindiens (« Vous n’avez jamais été tués par personne »), ce qui relève de la loi Gayssot. Il s’est montré injurieux envers les Navajo – dont les Hopi n’auraient qu’à se plaindre – et raciste envers les Autochtones, affirmant que c’était les collectionneurs qui avaient sauvé les objets sacrés, insinuant que les Autochtones étaient incapables de sauvegarder leur patrimoine. Il a prétendu que les Blancs leur avaient amené la médecine et que c’était grâce à eux si les Hopi vivaient encore – ignorant les épidémies amenées d’Europe dès le début, et les couvertures délibérément contaminées à la variole à l’époque de la conquête de l’Ouest, le taux de cholestérol et de diabète effrayant chez les Hopi et les Navajo, etc. Sans compter les massacres commis avant d’amener la médecine. Puis il est passé au génocide culturel, dont il acceptait mieux la notion, mais qui pour lui n’avait de toute évidence que peu de valeur face aux lois du marché. Pris dans ses dénégations contradictoires, il a fini par affirmer que les masques qu’il vendait n’étaient pas sacrés et avaient été vendus par des Autochtones qui les fabriquent spécialement pour les touristes ! … Ce qui laisse supposer que M. le Commissaire Priseur roule ses clients, vu que les objets pour touristes s’achètent dans les magasins de souvenirs, pas aux enchères avec expertise.
Malgré le ton haineux et raciste du Monsieur, Klee Benally, toujours courtois et pacifique, s’est efforcé de lui faire comprendre que les objets avaient dû être acquis frauduleusement au départ – même si les derniers acheteurs les ont acquis de bonne foi, ils peuvent être poursuivis pour recel – et que c’était légalement à lui, le dernier vendeur, de faire la preuve du contraire. M. le Commissaire Priseur a clamé que « toutes les Cours avaient donné tort aux Autochtones», mais « toutes les Cours » sont au moins dans deux cas (pour les autres, je n’ai pas d’informations) le tribunal du 9ème Arrondissement, présidé par la même Mme le Juge, qui ne sait strictement rien sur les Amérindiens mais croit religieusement dans les Lois du Marché. Le Monsieur a fini par accepter la lettre remise par Klee Benally, puis s’est éloigné en vociférant.
Malgré le ton haineux et raciste du Monsieur, Klee Benally, toujours courtois et pacifique, s’est efforcé de lui faire comprendre que les objets avaient dû être acquis frauduleusement au départ – même si les derniers acheteurs les ont acquis de bonne foi, ils peuvent être poursuivis pour recel – et que c’était légalement à lui, le dernier vendeur, de faire la preuve du contraire. M. le Commissaire Priseur a clamé que « toutes les Cours avaient donné tort aux Autochtones», mais « toutes les Cours » sont au moins dans deux cas (pour les autres, je n’ai pas d’informations) le tribunal du 9ème Arrondissement, présidé par la même Mme le Juge, qui ne sait strictement rien sur les Amérindiens mais croit religieusement dans les Lois du Marché. Le Monsieur a fini par accepter la lettre remise par Klee Benally, puis s’est éloigné en vociférant.
Les raisons qu’ont les Hopi et Navajo de penser que les objets ont été acquis frauduleusement :
- La loi traditionnelle Hopi – Nation Autonome – interdit à quiconque de sortir les Kachina du territoire Hopi. Quelques familles sont autorisées à les posséder, mais elles ne peuvent sous aucun prétexte les vendre à l’extérieur.
- Klee Benally a reconnu dans le catalogue en ligne d’Eve des masques que seuls des initiés ont le droit de VOIR. Non seulement ils ne peuvent être cédés, mais ils ne peuvent pas non plus être montrés, et certainement pas être photographiés ou vendus. La Nation Navajo est également une Nation Autonome avec ses propres lois.
Donc, même si des Autochtones malhonnêtes ont ‘vendu’ ces objets à des Européens, c’est illégal et assimilable à un vol, et les acquéreurs ‘de bonne foi’ ou non, sont coupables de recel même s’ils ont payé.
- La loi traditionnelle Hopi – Nation Autonome – interdit à quiconque de sortir les Kachina du territoire Hopi. Quelques familles sont autorisées à les posséder, mais elles ne peuvent sous aucun prétexte les vendre à l’extérieur.
- Klee Benally a reconnu dans le catalogue en ligne d’Eve des masques que seuls des initiés ont le droit de VOIR. Non seulement ils ne peuvent être cédés, mais ils ne peuvent pas non plus être montrés, et certainement pas être photographiés ou vendus. La Nation Navajo est également une Nation Autonome avec ses propres lois.
Donc, même si des Autochtones malhonnêtes ont ‘vendu’ ces objets à des Européens, c’est illégal et assimilable à un vol, et les acquéreurs ‘de bonne foi’ ou non, sont coupables de recel même s’ils ont payé.
Christine Prat
Dès le 12 juillet, Brenda Norrell a publié un article sur le site Indigenousresistance avec la vidéo – largement en anglais – de l’action :
Indigenous Resistance a également publié le lien vers le catalogue d’Eve, prévenant qu’il s’agissait d’une preuve légale, les photographies d’objets sacrés étant interdites :
2 comments:
That's actually the sad part, a good amount of native peoples do not really care if our culture is being sold like this. From a "business point", we have to recognize that this is his job and he too support himself and hopefully a wife. But overall, why immediately go after the white man about these issues? We need to take care of ourselves first from all the growing abuse of drugs and alcohol today on our reservations. Yes, I completely agree with this issue, but I personally think we are not strong enough and we are completely out of sync compared to how our land was before the initial undocumented immigrants. I'm honestly tired of some natives attacking the white man for sympathy and asking "do what's right, not what the law says." Again yes, Like Benally, he a very intelligent being trying to make a change in the world for our peoples' voice and doing what right. Overall, if we are wanting to make a change, fight them against what they did to us. Use the law system. Until then, our voice is a weapon. Use it wisely. We need to put ourselves on a greater foundation.
Its more than a political or social issue,
Sacred or ceremonial denotation makes this a spiritual issue. A strong foundation is necessary.Who will take that brave step?Who will be there to care?Maybe making things right will help with the other issues.They,the masks,must be returned home.
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