UCSB Inventory Opens Path for Chumash Ancestors' Return
Published Date: 10/30/2026
Notice
Summary
The University of California, Santa Barbara has finished checking its collection and found human remains linked to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians. These remains belong to two Native American individuals and could be returned to the tribe starting November 30, 2026. If you’re part of the tribe or a related group, you can ask to have these remains sent back by contacting UCSB.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation available to Santa Ynez Band
The University of California, Santa Barbara has completed an inventory and determined human remains of two Native American individuals are affiliated with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians. The remains may be repatriated to the tribe on or after November 30, 2026; written requests should be sent to Hugh Radde at UC Santa Barbara (email: NAGPRA@ucsb.edu).
Who may request repatriation
The notice says repatriation requests may be submitted by any of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in the notice, or by a lineal descendant or other tribe/organization that shows by a preponderance of the evidence a cultural affiliation. If competing requests are received, UCSB must determine the most appropriate requestor; joint repatriation requests are treated as a single request.
Inventory details about the remains
The inventory identifies human remains representing at least two individuals, with no associated funerary objects; they were collected from an unknown location near Lompoc in Santa Barbara County and were donated to UC Santa Barbara around 1984. The notice also states it is unknown whether the remains were treated with preservatives or other potentially hazardous substances.
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Previous: 2026-22151, Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN
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UC Davis has finished checking their collection and found Native American remains linked to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians. These remains can be returned to the tribe starting November 30, 2026. If you’re part of the tribe or a related group, you can ask UC Davis to send the remains back by contacting their repatriation coordinator.