WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) announced the long-awaited repatriation of sacred Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tribe items currently held by the Nationaal Museum Van Wereldculturen in the Netherlands back to their home in El Paso, Texas.
The legislators have worked with the U.S. Department of State and the Dutch Government to return several cultural and religious items. The Pueblo made numerous, yet unsuccessful, efforts over many years to communicate with the Museum for the items, which were taken from the Pueblo by Dutch anthropologist Herman F.C. Ten Kate in December of 1882.
Heinrich signed an Escobar-led a letter to the Dutch Government in June and a letter to Brigitta Tazelaar, Netherlands Ambassador to the United States, in September, in addition to several meetings and phone calls with relevant stakeholders, including U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Shefali Razdan Duggal. Alongside Heinrich, this effort was joined by U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján and U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.).
“For years, I've fought alongside Tribes, including Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, to recover and return Tribal cultural items that were stolen decades ago and have been in private collections ever since,” said Heinrich. “The STOP Act, which I passed into law in 2022, has given the United States new tools to advocate for return of these sacred items to the communities where they belong. I am so glad to see these items will finally be returned home, after a decades-long repatriation effort by Pueblo leaders, advocates, and lawmakers."
“Today’s news rectifies a long injustice for our community,” said Escobar. “My team and I have tirelessly worked to return these precious artifacts for over a year. I join everyone from the Pueblo tribe in rejoicing that these artifacts and their history will be preserved for generations to come. I'm grateful to the Dutch Government for their willingness to right this wrong and to the State Department for their help bringing such sacred objects back to their rightful home”
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