Health Museum Identifies Five Chumash Ancestors for Return to California
Published Date: 6/17/2025
Notice
Summary
The National Museum of Health and Medicine has finished checking and identifying five Native American human remains linked to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians in California. These remains, found in the late 1800s, can be returned to the tribe starting July 17, 2025. If you want to request the return, contact the museum soon—no money changes hands, just respect and care.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Five Native American remains identified
You can request the return of five Native American human remains that the National Museum of Health and Medicine has identified as affiliated with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians. The remains were inventoried by the museum and repatriation may occur on or after July 17, 2025.
Who may request repatriation
Written repatriation requests may be submitted by any of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations named in the notice, or by lineal descendants or other tribes/organizations that show by a preponderance of the evidence they have cultural affiliation. If competing requests are received, the museum will decide the most appropriate requestor; requests submitted jointly count as a single request.
No associated funerary objects available
The inventory notes that no associated funerary objects are present with the five human remains, so only the human remains are available for repatriation in this notice.
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-11147, Notice of Inventory Completion: California State University, Chico, CA
California State University, Chico has finished checking their collection and found Native American human remains linked to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians. Starting July 17, 2025, these remains can be officially returned to the tribe. If you’re part of the tribe or a descendant, you can ask for the remains to be sent back by contacting the university.
Next: 2025-11149, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, plans to return a special Hawaiian adze blade to the Native Hawaiian group Protect Keopuka Ohana starting July 17, 2025. This item is super important to their culture and history. No costs or hazards are involved, just a respectful handover of this treasured artifact.