Santa Barbara Museum clears Native remains for tribal return
Published Date: 4/11/2025
Notice
Summary
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has finished checking its collection and found human remains linked to Native American tribes. Starting May 12, 2025, these remains can be returned to the tribes. This update affects the museum, tribes, and anyone interested in cultural heritage, with no costs mentioned.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Museum Identifies Six Native American Remains
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has identified human remains representing at least six Native American individuals. The remains include multiple crania and associated mandibles collected between 1932 and 1935 and donated to the museum in 2015, 2017, 2021, and earlier; no associated funerary objects are present.
Repatriation Eligible Starting May 12, 2025
The human remains determined to be culturally affiliated with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians may be repatriated on or after May 12, 2025. Repatriation requests may be submitted by the identified tribe(s) or by lineal descendants or other tribes that show cultural affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence; if competing requests are received the museum must decide the appropriate recipient, and joint requests are treated as a single request.
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