History of Multicultural Arts: Early Twentieth Century - Essay Example

Although religious leaders are in support of the government’s efforts of returning the traditional artefacts to their native communities, different museums in the country strongly object the idea. According to the author, museum officials feared that the artefacts would be destroyed once they were in the custody of the local communities due to their lack of proper storage facilities or abilities to protect them from destruction. Native American Indian societies had traded the items for things such as foodstuff.

The museum officials feared that the native Indian communities might be enticed to re-sell the artefacts to opportunists who would take them out of the country. The officials argued that their custodian of the artefacts was for both the interest of national heritage and the community. Been part of the Native American communities, the Hopi Indian tribe feels underrepresented on national issues. The removal of the artefact was therefore a loss to Hopi people and the national heritage. The museum officials said that keeping the sacred items in the museums was a form of representation of the tribe.

The officials complained that American museums lacked representation of the Native American communities due to their conservative nature over such traditional and sacred artefacts. Finally, the museum officials claimed that returning the ceremonial artefacts to the native communities would be seen as a form of betrayal to the communities. The community leaders would also be viewed as people who are incapable of making the right decisions since they allowed the sale of traditional artefacts to national museums.

This would be a form of betrayal to both the nation and the tribe. How might this painting depicting a Hopi Ceremonial dance by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie serve as an ethnographic document (see Chapter 4) useful in the study of Hopi ceremonial arts?  The painting by Fred Kobatie on Hopi ceremonial dances can serve as critical ethnographic document. Ethnography is concerned with the culture of a given society and their ways of life based on traditional knowledge. The painting of traditional dances would therefore be useful in answering several controversial questions that relates to the Hopi communities.

Such questions would seek answer such as why the community had certain ceremonies and how the ceremonies were performed. Based on such responses it would be possible for a scholar to analyze the cultural knowledge of community. This indicates that the painting would be a useful ethnographic document. Studies of ethnic communities seek to establish the similarities between different ethnic communities in a given country (Rokeach 121). Studying the differences on cultural values and practices of such societies are an appropriate method that can be used to establish the relationship between such communities.

The relationship between different ethnic societies is basic in ethnographic since it answers some basic questions about different societies and their relationships. The painting can therefore be used as a comparison tool for the Hopi ethnic group and other Native American communities. Its significance as a comparison tool between different societies makes the paintings useful in ethnographic studies. Maria’s signature on Pueblo was not a misrepresentation. Unlike the pueblo, Maria was more concerned with the cultural value of her pottery.

On the other hand, the pueblo was more concerned with the commercial value of their pottery. Their invitation for Maria’s signature was aimed at commercial gain while Maria