Notice2025-12839
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA
Primary source
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Published
July 10, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), California State University Northridge (CSUN), intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 130 (Thursday, July 10, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 130 (Thursday, July 10, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30669-30670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12839]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040484; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University
Northridge, Northridge, CA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), California State University Northridge
(CSUN), intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the
definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or
objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after August 11, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Dayle Bingham, CSUN, 1811 Nordhoff
Street, Northridge, CA 91330, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f99d9880959cd79b90979e919894b99a8a8c97d79c9d8c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="402421392c256e22292e2728212d002333352e6e252435">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of CSUN,
and additional information on the determinations in this notice,
including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 32 boxes of cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The 32 boxes of unassociated funerary objects and objects
of cultural patrimony include lithics, beads, faunal bones, shells,
soil samples, and pottery. These 32 boxes comprise material from three
collections at CSUN: Vasquez Rocks, Lake Hughes, Acton, and Fontana,
CA.
30 boxes of these unassociated funerary objects and objects of
cultural patrimony were removed from the Vasquez Rocks (CA-LAN-358, CA-
LAN-359, CA-LAN-360, CA-LAN-361, CA-LAN-362, CA-LAN-363, CA-LAN-364,
CA-LAN-365, CA-LAN-368, CA-LAN-369, CA-LAN-371, CA-LAN-381, VS#1, CA-
LAN-902) sites in northern Los Angeles County, CA. These sites were
located on land owned by Dr. Ascher, where his family regularly dug up
cultural material throughout the mid-1900s. Further vandalism occurred
in 1966 when bulldozers were used to clear parts of the site. CSUN
Archaeological Field School Director and Los Angeles County Natural
History Museum (LACNHM) curator Dr. Charles Rozaire conducted field
schools at these sites from 1967 to 1970. At these field schools,
students, under supervision, excavated and removed cultural items and
ancestral human remains. Due to the history of vandalism and previous
amateur excavations at these sites, the context of the recovered
cultural items was often unknown, incomplete, or partially documented.
Based on archaeological context and information obtained from
consultations with representatives of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel
Nation, also federally recognized as the San Manuel Band of Mission
Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California, and non-
federally recognized California Tribes including the Fernande[ntilde]o
Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, these unassociated funerary objects
and objects of cultural patrimony are determined to be Native American.
Archaeological evidence indicates that Vasquez Rocks and associated
sites located in Agua Dulce (CA-LAN-358, CA-LAN-359, CA-LAN-360, CA-
LAN-361, CA-LAN-362, CA-LAN-363, CA-LAN-364, CA-LAN-365, CA-LAN-368,
CA-LAN-369, CA-LAN-371, CA-LAN-381, VS#1, CA-LAN-902) served as a
cemetery complex between 2315 BCE and 79 BCE (Caruso 1988, Garza 2012,
King et al. 1974). Research has shown that the Serrano and Tataviam
peoples have continuously occupied the San Gabriel Mountains and the
surrounding areas for approximately 5,000 to 6,000 years BP. Linguistic
evidence supports the notion of a continuous, shared group identity
between the people using Vasquez Rocks roughly 3,000 years ago and
modern Native Americans of Serrano and Tataviam descent. Ethnographic
evidence and Traditional Knowledge inform us that the Serrano and
Tataviam peoples have considered the Agua Dulce region as a part of
their homelands since time immemorial.
One box of objects of cultural patrimony was excavated during an
archaeological salvage and survey excavation at CA-LAN-430/431,
Elizabeth Lake Canyon Road, Lake Hughes, CA in 1970 by Herrick Hanks on
behalf of California State University, Northridge Archaeological
Research Center.
This excavation, as noted, was salvage survey work around Lake
Hughes in Los Angeles County, where construction on numerous properties
was already underway. According to reports, bulldozers on the site
uncovered archaeological material near school buildings, and the area
is currently used as freeways and roadways. Herrick Hanks and
archaeology students from CSUN were called upon to assist. Since being
brought to the CSUN campus in 1970 for storage, no further research or
archaeological assessments have been conducted.
Using archaeological and geographical information in tandem with
information learned from consultations with representatives of the
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, also federally recognized as the San
Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and non-federally recognized California
tribes, including Fernande[ntilde]o Tataviam Band of Mission Indians,
the objects of cultural patrimony are determined to be Native American.
Archaeologists have asserted that the Serrano and Tataviam peoples have
continuously occupied the San Gabriel Mountains and the Antelope Valley
for 5,000 to 6,000 years BP. Ethnographic evidence and Traditional
Knowledge inform us that the Serrano and Tataviam peoples have
considered the Lake Hughes region as a part of their homelands since
time immemorial.
One box of objects of cultural patrimony was collected in 1988 by
the CSUN Northridge Center for Public Archaeology, under the direction
of Dr. Bruce Love and Dr. Mark Raab, at the then-proposed Southern
Pacific Business Park in Fontana, CA (CA-SBR-5444). The purpose of this
project was to evaluate the significance of two previously recorded
sites in the area. Surface collecting, auger testing, test unit
excavation, and backhoe trenching were employed. The objects collected
consist of lithic debitage and soil samples.
Based on archaeological context and information learned from
consultations with representatives of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel
Nation, also federally recognized as the San Manuel Band of Mission
Indians, the objects of cultural patrimony are determined to be Native
American. Traditional Knowledge informs us that the Serrano people have
continuously occupied the area of and surrounding Fontana since time
immemorial.
[[Page 30670]]
Determinations
The CSUN has determined that:
<bullet> The 30 boxes of unassociated funerary objects described in
this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally
with or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of
death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native
American culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge
of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization.
The unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a
preponderance of the evidence as related to human remains, specific
individuals, or families, or removed from a specific burial site or
burial area of an individual or individuals with cultural affiliation
to an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> The 32 boxes objects of cultural patrimony described in
this notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural
importance central to the Native American group, including any
constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial
society, or other subdivision), according to the Native American
traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
<bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural
items described in this notice and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians,
California and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (previously listed
as San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, California).
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after August 11, 2025. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the CSUN must determine the most appropriate
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the
cultural items are considered a single request and not competing
requests. The CSUN is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to
the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this
notice and to any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: June 25, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-12839 Filed 7-9-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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