BIA and Cal State Ready to Return Sacred Tribal Artifacts
Published Date: 8/31/2026
Notice
Summary
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the California State University Stanislaus intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation of 20 tribal items
The Bureau of Indian Affairs and California State University Stanislaus intend to repatriate 20 objects of cultural patrimony (pottery sherds and groundstone items) that were removed from the Pauma Band of Luiseño Mission Indians Reservation during 1978–1979. The items are housed at Stanislaus State, were never officially accessioned, and repatriation may occur on or after September 30, 2026; written requests may be sent to Tamara Billie at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1001 Indian School Road NW, Mailbox 44, Albuquerque, NM 87104 (email [email protected]).
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Key Dates
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-17702, Notice of Inventory Completion: California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Next: 2026-17704, Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.