In a poignant discussion at the recent Joint Hearing of the Legislative Audit Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Native American Affairs, the complexities of cultural repatriation took center stage. The meeting, held on August 29, 2023, highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by tribes in reclaiming their cultural heritage, a process that has proven to be both lengthy and fraught with challenges.

A representative from a local tribe shared a compelling narrative about their efforts to repatriate cultural items from Sonoma State University. Despite initial outreach in 1998, the journey toward reclaiming ten collections has been slow. The tribe received assurances from the university in 1999 that they would work to culturally affiliate these collections, yet it wasn't until 2006 that any significant progress was communicated. This timeline underscores the arduous nature of repatriation, where even a few items can take years to return, often complicated by new discoveries or information.

Currently, over 600 collections remain at Sonoma State, with sizes ranging from single items to vast assemblages of up to 50,000 objects. This situation exemplifies the broader struggle many tribes face in their quest to reclaim their ancestors and cultural artifacts. The representative emphasized the need for the California State University (CSU) leadership to take responsibility for compliance with repatriation laws, including the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and its California counterpart, Cal NAGPRA.

The meeting also touched on the establishment of policies aimed at improving repatriation processes. The University of California adopted a NAGPRA policy in 2021, which could serve as a model for CSU to develop its own guidelines. The hope is that with strong leadership and commitment, similar progress can be made across all California State Universities.

In a reflective closing, the representative recalled Governor Newsom's 2019 apology for historical injustices against Native tribes, urging the state to take tangible steps toward rectifying these wrongs. "Repatriation is an act of repairing the past," they stated, emphasizing the importance of returning ancestors and cultural items to restore wholeness to their community. The tribe's commitment to this cause remains unwavering, as they continue to advocate for the return of their heritage at both national and state levels.