NAGPRA

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) at SFSU

SFSU’s Repatriation Commitment

San Francisco State University is committed to the respectful return of Native American ancestors and cultural items to affiliated Tribal communities. Through the SFSU NAGPRA Program, the University works to fulfill its responsibilities under federal and California law while caring appropriately for cultural materials that remain in its custody.

SFSU has served as a repository for Native American and non-Native American cultural materials for more than 70 years. The NAGPRA Program is responsible for approximately 500 cultural site collections from 36 California counties. Of those collections, 78 are known to contain Native American ancestors and/or funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony.

Most of SFSU’s archaeological collections come from the San Francisco Bay Area, with additional holdings from elsewhere in California and a small number from Nevada and Oregon. The program is also responsible for Native American ethnographic items from the former Treganza Anthropology Museum, including materials from across the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.

The SFSU NAGPRA Program began in 1996. Since then, the University has submitted NAGPRA summaries, inventories, notices and culturally unidentifiable Native American inventories to the National NAGPRA Program. NAGPRA compliance and repatriation are ongoing processes, and program records may change as laws and regulations are updated, collection records are revised and Tribal recognition status changes.

Contact

SFSU University NAGPRA Program
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132

Email: nagpra@sfsu.edu
Telephone: (415) 338-1381

Office Hours
Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tribal Consultation

The SFSU NAGPRA Program consults with federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribes and groups regarding the cultural affiliation, care and return of Native American ancestors and cultural objects.

Tribal representatives are encouraged to contact the program regarding collections that may be affiliated with their communities.

SFSU also houses archaeological collections owned or controlled by federal and state agencies, including Caltrans, California State Parks, the U.S. Army and other agencies. NAGPRA compliance for those collections remains the responsibility of the controlling agency. Collections formerly held by private archaeological firms are now under University legal control.

Policies and Procedures

SFSU follows the CSU Interim Policy on Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation (NAGPRA), which establishes CSU procedures for inventorying, consulting and returning Native American human remains and cultural items under federal and California law.

Campus community members and Tribal partners are encouraged to review the policy for information about consultation, repatriation procedures and CSU responsibilities.

NAGPRA Resources

National NAGPRA Program

The National Park Service provides information about federal NAGPRA requirements, law and regulation updates, Review Committee meetings and Federal Register notices.

Visit the National NAGPRA Program website.

California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Program

The California Native American Heritage Commission provides information about California NAGPRA requirements and resources.

Visit the CalNAGPRA website.

California Native American Heritage Commission

The California Native American Heritage Commission provides information about Native American issues, cultural resource laws and California NAGPRA.

Learn more about the California Native American Heritage Commission.

California Legislative Information

Search California legislative history and statutory text, including AB 978 and AB 275.

View California Legislative Information.

California State Auditor Report

Read the California State Auditor’s report on CSU compliance with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA.