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	Vol.7, No 18, September 29, 1999
	American-Indian remains wanted back By Johnna Walker Daily Forty-Niner Local tribal leaders and a university representative Monday asked that American-Indian remains be returned to a burial site during the Cal State Long Beach Repatriation Committee meeting.   The university's administrative representative, Dr. Keith Polakoff, made a motion for the committee to recommend the university take all steps necessary to complete the procedure to return the remains.   The committee will vote on the proposal at its next meeting. A deadline has been set for January 2000.   The land, about two miles from campus, sparked debate among committee members, local tribes and archaeologists.   "The university has held these remains for 40 years, and it is far past time that our ancestors come home," said Martin Acala, chairman of the Gabrieleno/Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council.   Since CSULB archaeologists excavated the site in 1955, about 23 associated remains of American Indians have been removed and are in the possession of CSULB, according to Sam Dunlap, a committee member.   Before these ancestors can be returned to the land, a formal inventory of the artifacts found at the site has to be submitted, under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, to the National Park Services.   Acala also presented to the committee an official petition requesting all remains, artifacts and funeral objects taken from the site be handed over to members of the Gabrieleno/Tongva Tribal Council, Gabrieleno/Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council and Coastal/Digeueno Band of Mission Indians.   These groups are composed of American Indians whose ancestors inhabited that land. They are currently petitioning the federal government for recognition of the tribal membership that links them to the land on campus and surrounding areas.   The committee voted that the items from the site should be considered Gabrieleno artifacts. However, committee member and CSULB associate professor of anthropology Dr. Dan Larson abstained from the vote because he felt that it was strictly an American-Indian issue.   Members of the committee present at the meeting also learned they successfully obtained a copy of an article on the issue, through committee member and CSULB anthropology professor Dr. Eugene Ruyle.   The article was submitted to the "Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology"  and was written in part by CSULB contract archaeologist Matthew Boxt.   After obtaining copies of this article, the committee voted to have a member draft a letter to the editor of the magazine to ask for an extended deadline for submissions of commentary on the content of the article.		5 men held for smashing windows Recent figures show CSULB enrollment keeps growing American-Indian remains wanted back Listening Lounge offers brain food Karate instructors teach basic self defense Senior U. teacher 1 of 35 chosen for space camp Free speech still free Bookstore prices outrage students Prof. angry about CFA story L.B. Symphony pleases despite various problems Big Wu comes up short LBSU out of tune Dolley rises from the depths Women's soccer coach experiencing growing pains in team's second season Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.