Sonoma State Plans Return of More Than 48,000 Cultural Items
Published Date: 10/22/2026
Notice
Summary
Sonoma State University is planning to return over 48,000 Native American cultural items to the tribes they belong to, starting November 23, 2026. These items include ancient tools, bones, and sacred objects found in Sonoma County during past digs. This repatriation respects Native heritage and involves no cost to the public, just a big step in honoring history.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
48,638 Native items set for repatriation
Sonoma State University intends to return a total of 48,638 lots of Native American cultural items, including 22,648 lots of unassociated funerary objects and 25,990 lots of objects of cultural patrimony. The repatriation may occur on or after November 23, 2026, and the items are connected with sites across Sonoma County, California.
Cultural patrimony needed for religious use
The notice says 25,990 lots are objects of cultural patrimony and that 1 of the determinations is these objects are "specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice traditional Native American religion."
Who can request and how repatriation is decided
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for repatriation to Kirsten Twork at Sonoma State University; requests must show cultural affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence. If competing requests are received, Sonoma State University must determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation; joint requests count as a single request.
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