IACB NEWS
U.S. Department of the Interior and New Mexico Office of the Attorney General Promote Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts
WASHINGTON, D.C-- The Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General have collaborated to publish a consumer protection brochure tailored to the New Mexico Indian arts and crafts market.
Called Take Home a Treasure from Indian Country: Buy Authentic New Mexico Indian Arts and Crafts, this new brochure provides information on the Federal and state laws designed to protect the sales of authentic Indian arts and crafts, as well as helpful tips for buyers to determine the authenticity of the items.
Annual sales of Indian arts and crafts in the United States are estimated to total more than one billion dollars. Purchasing authentic Indian arts and crafts helps to preserve and perpetuate Indian culture and traditions. As the popularity of Indian arts and crafts increases, so does the sale of items misrepresented as authentic Indian products. By becoming more familiar with both the Federal and state laws governing the sales of Indian arts and crafts, and by considering the shopping tips provided in the new brochure, consumers can help to ensure they are buying authentic Indian arts and crafts.
Under the Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 as amended (P.L. 101-644); it is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell, any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is American Indian produced, an American Indian product, or the product of a particular American Indian tribe. Under the Federal Act, Indian labor makes art or craftwork an Indian product.
"The IACB is very pleased to continue its close work with the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General through this excellent educational collaboration," says IACB Chairperson Joyce Begay-Foss (Navajo), "We would also like to thank the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Cultural Affairs, for the use of their images in this lovely publication."
The New Mexico Indian Arts and Crafts Sales Act (NMSA 1978, § 30-33-1 to 30-33-11) provides definitions for "Indian handmade," "authentic Indian arts and crafts," and "Indian crafted." It also addresses the use of materials. For example, the state statute requires that sellers disclose if any of the products use treated material, including stabilized, reconstructed or reconstituted, or synthetic (plastic) turquoise.
"It is critically important that consumers educate themselves before buying Indian arts and crafts because it is so easy to buy fake products," says Attorney General Gary King. "This brochure is an important consumer education tool, and we urge all consumers to take advantage of this valuable resource. I am grateful for the cooperation and assistance of the Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Board."
The brochure is available free of charge by contacting the IACB, U.S. Department of the Interior, at 1-888-ART-FAKE or 1-888-278-3253, or the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-678-1508. Additional information on the IACB is available at www.iacb.doi.gov.
Media Contacts:
Joan Moody 202-208-3773
Joyce Begay-Foss and Rebecca Webster Selected as Indian Arts and Crafts Board Chairperson and Vice Chairperson
WASHINGTON, D.C-- Joyce Begay-Foss (Diné) and Rebecca Webster (Oneida) have been named the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, respectively, of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.
The Board carries out the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990; combats counterfeit activity in the Native American arts and crafts market; promotes the economic development of American Indians and Alaska Natives through their creative work; and operates three Indian museums in the Plains Region.
"I am honored to serve as Indian Arts and Crafts Board Chairperson and look forward to working with Vice Chairperson Webster, the other Commissioners, and the staff," Begay-Foss said. "We must ensure that the Board continues to advance and protect the vitality and integrity of the American Indian and Alaska Native arts and crafts market and producers of true American treasures from Barrow, Alaska, to Miccosukee, Florida."
"In addition, I would like to invite Native American artists and tribal communities throughout the country to engage in discussions and recommendations about the issues that impact their work and livelihood by contacting the Indian Arts and Crafts Board
with their concerns, Begay-Foss noted."
Chairman Begay-Foss is the Director of Education at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The museum, operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, preserves and interprets historic and contemporary collections and information about New Mexico’s Native peoples.
An accomplished Navajo weaver for over 25 years, Begay-Foss has won numerous awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market, Eight Northern Pueblos Arts and Crafts Show, and the San Felipe Arts and Crafts Show. She draws on this expertise as a writer, instructor, and lecturer on traditional Native textiles and dying techniques. She has been involved in addressing issues and concerns of intellectual and cultural property rights of the Southwestern Tribes, especially with Diné (Navajo) weavers.
Vice Chairperson Webster serves the Oneida Tribe as a staff attorney, providing legal advice focusing on tribal land issues and government-to-government relations. She is also an accomplished artisan, specializing in unique Iroquois raised beadwork which has won her awards at Oneida art shows.
As an active community member, Webster has dedicated herself to preserving Oneida culture, arts, and crafts by teaching others forms of Oneida craftwork, including traditional corn husk dolls, moccasins, clothing, and silver jewelry. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her Masters degree in Public Management from the Robert M. LaFollette School of Public Affairs, and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.
"Serving as a Commissioner on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board has provided me with an excellent opportunity to gain a better understanding of the diverse, rich, and complex spectrum of Native American arts and crafts," Webster said.
"As Vice Chairperson, I look forward to advancing the levels of education, compliance, and enforcement of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act among consumers, Native American artists and artisans, and the arts and crafts industry," said Webster. "One of my goals is to assist in promoting Woodland Indian art and encouraging Native American artisans from the Woodland Indian tribes through Indian Arts and Crafts Board outreach efforts."
The three additional members of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board are Elmer Guy (Diné), president of the Navajo Technical College, Crownpoint, New Mexico; Rose Fosdick (Nome Eskimo Community), vice president of Kawerak, Inc.’s Natural Resources Division, Nome, Alaska; and Chuck Harwood, director of the Northwest Regional Office of the Federal Trade Commission, Seattle, Washington.
For more information on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board commissioners, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, and the activities of the Board, please visit www.iacb.doi.gov., or call 1-888-ART-FAKE (toll free).
Media Contacts:
Joan Moody 202-208-3773
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