San Diego State to Return Hundreds of Local Cultural Items
Published Date: 7/15/2026
Notice
Summary
San Diego State University plans to return over 350 Native American cultural items to the tribes and Native Hawaiian groups they belong to. These items, like stones, shells, and tools, were taken from sites in San Diego County a long time ago. The repatriation can start on or after August 14, 2026, with no costs mentioned for the public.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
SDSU to Repatriate Cultural Items
San Diego State University intends to return 19 lots of items described as unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony to affiliated Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on or after August 14, 2026.
Who May Request Repatriation
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for repatriation if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. If competing requests are received, San Diego State University must determine the most appropriate requestor, and joint requests are treated as a single request.
Items Linked to Specific Tribes
San Diego State University determined the cultural items are culturally affiliated with the following groups: Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation, California; Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California (Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation, California; Viejas (Baron Long) Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation, California); Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians (previously listed as Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, California); Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, California; Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and Cosmit Reservation, California; Jamul Indian Village of California; La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation, California; Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Manzanita Reservation, California; Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande Reservation, California; San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California; and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.
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Key Dates
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