Indian Art: Fakes and Frauds; Tribes and state policymakers take steps to protect Native arts and crafts.

• Author: Kaufmann, L. Jeanne

It is art from the heart, the soul and the culture. The geometric lines, the vibrant and earthen colors. The shimmer of silver and blue of turquoise. The fine weaving and the richly designed basket.

American Indians celebrated their culture through their arts. And then it became popular...

D.Y. Begay, a Navajo weaver, says that art is an integral part of life, culture and traditions that are represented by various forms, symbols and colors. Her weaving is a strong part of her life and is very important to her and to her family. "The weaving traditions are associated with our womanhood. Weaving is a special gift and it is our responsibility to carry out the traditions of weaving."

While Begay's nimble fingers celebrate her heritage, people pay considerable sums for the handwoven Navajo blankets that result. And that popularity has been the native artisan's downfall.

In order to capitalize on the popularity, unscrupulous dealers and traders have flooded the market in Southwestern states, particularly with Navajo and Zuni knockoffs. Kate Duncan, art history professor at Arizona State University, says the high demand by tourists allows dealers to easily bring in imitations. Southwestern jewelry is "easy to copy, it's fast, there's a market for it, and people make a lot of money on it," she says. Indian traditions, as well as livelihoods, suffer.

And quality suffers. In the case of Begay, imitations of her fine, handwoven work appear in blankets made with synthetic, not natural, fibers.

Eleven years ago, congress passed the American Indian Arts and crafts Act to protect Native American artists, as well as consumers. So far only two cases have gone to trial, although others are being investigated. "The process is very time-consuming," says Meredith Stanton, Director of the Indian Arts and crafts Board. complaints under the act are filed with the board, processed and then referred on to the Department of Justice (FBI) for investigation.

One case involved a South Dakota man and ended in a guilty plea and his promise to stop using the words "Native American" on items.

But the other case proves, how difficult prosecution can be. After going to trial, charges were dropped against Nader Z. Pourhassen who was accused of selling dream catchers as authentic, Indian-made products. The hoop and fiber artworks were actually made by Vietnamese factory workers in a plant near Salt Lake city, Utah. But the case was weakened when prosecutors discovered during the trial that one merchant who bought a dream catcher was "under no illusion that it was Indian-made." They also discovered that Pourhassen had...