PARIS (AFP).- A Paris auction of masks and statues considered sacred by two Native American tribes went ahead as planned on Wednesday, raising more than 400,000 euros ($450,000), despite fierce opposition from the indigenous groups.

The sale of 15 artefacts marked a new defeat for the Hopi and Acoma tribes, which have been trying for two years to put an end to such transactions and demanding the pieces be handed over.

The Hopi Tribe Council and Pueblo of Acoma had allied with the US-based Holocaust Art Restitution Project (HARP) this week to ask France's Board of Auction Sales to suspend the sale conducted by the Druout auction house.

They claimed the objects were illegally exported from the United States, and that their sale broke US federal laws.

But a representative of the French board said Wednesday that "the request was not deemed admissable and was rejected".

The auction thus went ahead. A prime lot -- a 15th century wooden idol -- was sold for 120,000 euros.

Since 2013, Native American tribes, with the backing of the US embassy in Paris, have tried unsuccessfully four times to stop the sale in France of similar items. The previous such sale was in Paris last December.

French auctioneers have certified the legality of each of the items for sale. Some note that Hopi people themselves were behind sales of thousands of their masks in a trade that grew quickly at the end of the 19th century.

The Hopi and Acoma tribes are recognised by the US government. The 18,000 Hopis live in northwest Arizona, while the Pueblo Acoma is located in New Mexico.




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