Merced College Ready to Repatriate Native Remains
Published Date: 3/17/2025
Notice
Summary
Merced College has finished checking its collection of Native American human remains and related items, confirming they belong to certain Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian groups. Starting April 16, 2025, these remains and objects can be returned to their rightful communities. This process helps honor and respect Native cultures, with no costs or delays expected.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
115 Remains and 39 Funerary Objects Identified
Merced College's inventory shows human remains representing a minimum of 115 Native American individuals and 39 associated funerary objects. Of those 39 objects, 35 are present in the collections and 4 are missing or unidentifiable; repatriation may occur on or after April 16, 2025.
Three Tribes Found Culturally Affiliated
Merced College determined there is a reasonable connection between the remains/objects and the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-wuk Indians of California; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; and the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria of California. Those named tribes are identified as culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects.
Who Can Request Repatriation and How
Repatriation requests may be submitted by any one or more of the tribes named in the notice, or by any lineal descendant, tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not named that proves by a preponderance of the evidence they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. If competing requests are received, Merced College must determine the most appropriate requestor; joint requests are treated as a single request.
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