UC Berkeley to Return Sacred Pomo Dance Headdress and Baskets to Tribes
Published Date: 3/27/2025
Notice
Summary
The University of California, Berkeley is planning to return nine sacred and culturally important items to the Pomo tribes starting April 28, 2025. These items, including a special dance headdress and traditional baskets, have been held at the university’s museum since the 1960s. This repatriation honors Native American heritage and strengthens ties with the Pomo community, with no costs mentioned.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Nine Pomo items slated for repatriation
The University of California, Berkeley intends to return nine Pomo cultural items, including a Big‑head dance headdress, feathered headdress, traditional baskets, and a tule boat, to affiliated tribes. The repatriation may occur on or after April 28, 2025, and the items come from accession numbers Acc.1702, Acc.1307, and Acc.1377 at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum.
Who may request repatriation and proof needed
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not named in the notice may submit a written request for repatriation if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. If competing requests are received, the University of California, Berkeley will determine the most appropriate requestor; joint requests are treated as a single request. Repatriation may occur on or after April 28, 2025.
Museum items may have hazardous treatments
The Phoebe A. Hearst Museum's collections and collection spaces were treated with preservation and pest‑control substances, some potentially hazardous, and no records were found indicating whether chemicals or natural substances were used prior to 1960. This information is noted in the museum's summary of the items being repatriated.
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