Native American regalia stolen in Albuquerque has been found

EVERYTHING FOR A DEAL TO GET DONE. BUT FIRST, NEW MEXICO MAN IS SEARCHING FOR PRICELESS PIECES OF HIS NATIVE HERITAGE THAT WERE STOLEN FROM HIS TRUCK. THIS AFTER ATTENDING A POWWOW AT BLACK MESA CASINO ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER. JOHN CARDINAL IS HERE WITH DETAILS. YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT, SHELLY. DOUG, HERE’S HIS STORY. TRUJILLO LOVES HIS NATIVE AMERICAN ROOTS AND ENJOYS SHARING HIS CULTURE AND HISTORY WITH OTHERS. BUT AS CULTURAL ITEMS HE USES TO EDUCATE WERE STOLEN FROM HIM RIGHT HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE. ASKIA, AFTER OUR STAY AT THIS HOTEL, I NOTICED THAT OUR TRUCK HAD BEEN BROKEN INTO AND VANDALIZED. AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR POSSESSIONS AND BELONGINGS WERE TAKEN. WHAT WAS TAKEN FROM ESQUIRE INCLUDES A HEADDRESS AND A PURPLE JINGLE DRESS OUTFIT. I WISH I COULD HAVE AT LEAST JUST GOT MY STUFF AND PUT IT IN THE HOTEL LIKE I USUALLY DO IT. YOU KNOW, THE PRAYERS BEHIND EACH AND EVERY ITEM IS WHAT WE FEEL IS TAKEN FROM US. SINCE THE ITEMS HAVE BEEN TAKEN, A SHIA HAS BEEN PASSING OUT FLIERS AND VISITING LOCAL PAWN SHOPS TO TRY AND RECOVER HIS STOLEN TREASURES. HIS SEARCH IS GOING STATEWIDE. I’M ACTUALLY GOING TO OUR GRAND NEW MEXICO TO DROP OFF SOME MORE FLIERS TO OUR SOME PEOPLE THAT REACHED OUT AND WANT TO HELP AND, YOU KNOW, PUT SOME FLIERS UP IN THE GALLUP AREA, AS WELL AS OUR WESTERN NEW MEXICO. THE STOLEN I ITEMS COME AS THE ISSUE HAS MADE ITS WAY TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE TODAY. I RISE TODAY TO ASK THE SENATE TO SEND H.R. 2930, THE SAFEGUARDING TRIBAL OBJECTS OF PATRIMONY ACT TO THE PRESIDENT’S DESK FOR HIS SIGNATURE. THE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION AIMS TO PROHIBIT THE EXPORTING OF SACRED NATIVE AMERICAN ITEMS UNDER CURRENT FEDERAL LAW. IT’S A CRIME TO SELL CERTAIN PROTECTED NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL OBJECTS. THINGS LIKE THE ACOMA SHIELD HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT THERE IS STILL NO FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITING THE EXPORT OF STOLEN CULTURAL ITEMS AND REQUIRING THE COOPERATION OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS IN RECOVERING THEM. KOAT COVERED A STORY BACK IN 2019 ABOUT THIS ACOMA SHIELD THAT WAS MISSING SINCE THE 1970S. IT WAS LATER RECOVER IT AFTER THE PUEBLO SAW IT WAS BEING SOLD AT AUCTION. ASKIA HAS HOPE HIS PRIZED POSSESSIONS WILL ONE DAY BE RETURNED BY MAYBE CREATOR SOMEHOW. HERE HE’LL BRING BACK THOSE THOSE BLESSINGS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE’S THERE’S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THESE THESE REGALIA. AS I MENTIONED THE PRAYERS BEHIND IT. THE LEGISLATION PRESENTED TODAY WAS PASSED BY BOTH THE U.S. HOUSE AND SENATE AND WILL NOW HEAD TO THE PRESIDENT’S DESK. I’M JOHN CORNELY REPORTING. KOAT ACTION 7. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION

Ashkia Trujillo loves his Native American roots and enjoys sharing his culture and history with others. But on Sunday morning, Ashika woke up to a surprise. “After our stay at this hotel, I noticed that our truck had been broken into and vandalized. And, you know, a lot of our possessions and belongings were taken,” Trujillo said. What was taken from Ashkia includes a headdress and a purple jingle dress outfit. He had them because he recently attended the Powwow at Black Mesa Casino. “I wish I could have at least just got my stuff and put it in the hotel like I usually do. You know, the prayers behind every item is what we feel is taken from us,” Trujillo said. In a post on social media on Wednesday, Ashkia says the items were returned. Officials at the Black Mesa Casino called Ashkia's sister saying the items were found. “I'm actually going to Grant's New Mexico to drop off some more fliers to some people that reached out and want to help. We want to put some fliers up in the Gallup area as well as our western New Mexico,” Trujillo said. The stolen items come as the issue has made its way to the United States Senate Tuesday. “I rise today to ask the Senate to send H.R. 2930 the Safeguarding Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act to the President's desk for his signature,” said Democratic New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich. The bipartisan legislation aims to prohibit the exporting of sacred Native American items. “Under current federal law, it's a crime to sell certain protected Native American cultural objects. Things like the Acoma shield here in the United States. But there is still no federal law prohibiting the export of stolen cultural items and requiring the cooperation of foreign governments in recovering them,” Heinrich said. KOAT covered a story back in 2019 about an Acoma shield that had been missing since the 1970s. It was later recovered after the pueblo saw it being sold at auction. Trujillo has hope his prized possessions will one day be returned. “Maybe the creator somehow will bring back those blessings because, you know, there's a lot that goes into these regalia, like I mentioned, the prayers behind it,” Trujillo said. The legislation presented was passed by both the U.S. House and the Senate and will now head to the president's desk. If you have any information about the stolen items contact law enforcement.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

Ashkia Trujillo loves his Native American roots and enjoys sharing his culture and history with others.

But on Sunday morning, Ashika woke up to a surprise.

“After our stay at this hotel, I noticed that our truck had been broken into and vandalized. And, you know, a lot of our possessions and belongings were taken,” Trujillo said.

What was taken from Ashkia includes a headdress and a purple jingle dress outfit.

He had them because he recently attended the Powwow at Black Mesa Casino.

“I wish I could have at least just got my stuff and put it in the hotel like I usually do. You know, the prayers behind every item is what we feel is taken from us,” Trujillo said.

In a post on social media on Wednesday, Ashkia says the items were returned. Officials at the Black Mesa Casino called Ashkia's sister saying the items were found.

“I'm actually going to Grant's New Mexico to drop off some more fliers to some people that reached out and want to help. We want to put some fliers up in the Gallup area as well as our western New Mexico,” Trujillo said.

The stolen items come as the issue has made its way to the United States Senate Tuesday.

“I rise today to ask the Senate to send H.R. 2930 the Safeguarding Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act to the President's desk for his signature,” said Democratic New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich.

The bipartisan legislation aims to prohibit the exporting of sacred Native American items.

“Under current federal law, it's a crime to sell certain protected Native American cultural objects. Things like the Acoma shield here in the United States. But there is still no federal law prohibiting the export of stolen cultural items and requiring the cooperation of foreign governments in recovering them,” Heinrich said.

KOAT covered a story back in 2019 about an Acoma shield that had been missing since the 1970s. It was later recovered after the pueblo saw it being sold at auction.

Trujillo has hope his prized possessions will one day be returned.

“Maybe the creator somehow will bring back those blessings because, you know, there's a lot that goes into these regalia, like I mentioned, the prayers behind it,” Trujillo said.

The legislation presented was passed by both the U.S. House and the Senate and will now head to the president's desk.

If you have any information about the stolen items contact law enforcement.

Native American regalia stolen in Albuquerque has been found

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