Sonoma State Tallies 74 Tribal Artifacts for Long-Awaited Return Home
Published Date: 12/18/2025
Notice
Summary
Sonoma State University has finished checking 74 groups of Native American funerary objects and found they belong to local tribes. Starting January 20, 2026, these items can be returned to the tribes that they’re connected to. If you want to request the return, you can contact the university soon to make it happen!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
74 Funerary Object Lots Identified
Sonoma State University identified 74 lots of associated funerary objects and determined they are culturally affiliated with the United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California. These items have been held at Sonoma State University and are eligible for repatriation starting January 20, 2026.
Who May Request Repatriation
You may request the return if you are one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations named in the notice. A lineal descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not named may also request repatriation if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated.
University Resolves Competing Requests
If competing requests for the same objects are received, Sonoma State University must determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation. Requests submitted jointly are treated as a single request and not competing requests.
Objects' Origins and Storage Location
The 74 lots are obsidian items removed from two Placer County, California sites (CA-PLA-38 and CA-PLA-728/H) and have been housed at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, CA. The notice documents these provenances as part of the inventory and repatriation process.
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Key Dates
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Sonoma State University has finished checking and listing special Native American items found during a pipeline project in California. These items, linked to local tribes, have been stored since 1992 and are now ready to be returned starting January 20, 2026. If you want to request these items, contact the university soon to make it happen!
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The Maidu Museum & Historic Site in Roseville, CA, plans to return 14 groups of important cultural items to Native American tribes starting January 20, 2026. These items include stones, plants, animal materials, and more, all connected to local tribes. This repatriation honors Native heritage and follows federal law, with no costs or delays expected for the public.