Sonoma State to Return 1,600+ Sacred Native American Items to Tribes
Published Date: 4/9/2026
Notice
Summary
Sonoma State University is planning to return over 1,600 Native American cultural items, including sacred objects and funerary items, to the tribes they belong to. This repatriation will start on or after May 11, 2026, and affects items collected from sites in Sonoma and Marin counties. The university has held these items for decades, and this move respects Native American heritage and laws.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Sonoma State to Return 1,672 Items
Sonoma State University intends to repatriate a total of 1,672 lots of Native American cultural items (1,485 unassociated funerary object lots and 187 sacred object lots). The repatriation may occur on or after May 11, 2026 and involves material removed from sites in Sonoma and Marin counties, California.
Who Can Request Repatriation
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may send a written request for repatriation and must show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are entitled to the items. If multiple parties request the same items, Sonoma State University will decide the most appropriate requestor, and joint requests are treated as a single request.
Affiliation: Federated Indians of Graton
Sonoma State University has determined there is a connection between the cultural items described and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, California. That tribe is identified in the notice as culturally affiliated with the items.
Missing Items & Safety Finding
Sonoma State University states that any additional missing cultural items located later will also be repatriated from the collections described. The university also reports there is no evidence the items were treated with hazardous substances.
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Key Dates
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