SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. — Nearly 40 years after a series of burglaries stripped Santa Ana Pueblo of sacred and ceremonial items, tribal preservation experts are working to recover what was lost.
The thefts began in August 1984, shortly after the pueblo’s feast day, when outsiders are welcomed to observe traditional dances and share food. Over the next 10 months, thieves targeted homes and ceremonial society houses, stealing nearly 150 items including war shields, pottery, moccasins, and woven rugs.
Though federal authorities eventually arrested and prosecuted those involved, efforts to recover the stolen items were never pursued—until now.
Santa Ana Pueblo’s historic preservation team, working with a former federal conservation officer, has reopened the case. Using FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs files, auction catalogs, gallery records, and even social media posts, the team is tracing the journey of each item.
One breakthrough came when a bread-making bowl, crafted more than a century ago and passed down through generations, was located and returned. The bowl had traveled through multiple sales and collectors before its story reached the most recent owners, who voluntarily returned it.
Tribal leaders say many of the stolen items qualify as sacred under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and are protected by federal antiquities laws. The search continues for other items, including a buffalo hide war shield that was listed for sale in a New York gallery in 2021.
“This isn’t just about objects,” said Pueblo Governor Myron Armijo. “These items are part of our identity, our traditions, and our relationships. We’re not giving up.”
The pueblo’s mission is clear: bring home what was taken.
