California College to Return Four Ancient Native Items
Published Date: 5/19/2026
Notice
Summary
Los Rios Community College District in Sacramento plans to return four special Native American items linked to ancient burial sites to the right tribes. This repatriation can start on or after June 18, 2026, and involves items collected nearly 90 years ago. It’s a respectful step to honor Native American heritage and culture.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Planned return of four funerary items
Los Rios Community College District intends to return four unassociated funerary objects — one bone whistle, one steatite dish fragment, one faunal bone fragment (from Bennett Mound CA-SAC-16), and one abalone ornament (from King Brown Mound CA-SAC-29) — that were removed in 1931, 1932, 1933, or 1940. The district says these items have a cultural affiliation with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California, and repatriation may occur on or after June 18, 2026.
Who can request repatriation and timing
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request to LRCCD to receive these cultural items if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. Repatriation to an approved requestor may occur on or after June 18, 2026; LRCCD will decide among competing requests and treats joint requests as a single request.
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