The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community in Oregon is opposing the sale of a part of a 10,000-year-old sacred meteorite. Darryl Pitt owns a 30-pound slick of the Willamette Meteorite. The piece could fetch more than $1 million at an upcoming Bonhams auction. "We are deeply saddened that any individual or organization would be so insensitive to Native American spirituality and culture as to traffic in the sale of a sacred and historic artifact," said tribal representative Siobahn Taylor, the Associated Press reported. The tribes know the meteorite as Tomanowas, or Sky Person. Rainwater collected in the meteorite's basins was used as a healing medicine and purification agent. The rock was a central part of the rite of passage into adulthood until it was removed by a mining company in the early 1990s. The American Museum of Natural History retains the largest piece of the meteorite and has an agreement with the tribe to display it properly and allow ceremonies. Get the Story:
Indian Group Blasts Meteorite Sale (AP 9/14) Relevant Links:
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community - http://www.grandronde.org
Bonhams - http://www.bonhams.com
American Museum of Natural History: http://www.amnh.org
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