Return of 44 Cultural Objects to Morongo Band Stalled at Museum of Riverside

Forty-four cultural objects slated to begin their journey back to the Morongo Band of Mission Indians remained in limbo on Wednesday — not because of opposition, but because there weren't enough board members in the room.

The Museum of Riverside Board canceled its scheduled meeting for lack of a quorum, delaying consideration of a recommendation to deaccession — the formal removal from a museum collection — dozens of Indigenous cultural items from the museum's permanent collection.

The postponed item would have asked the board to recommend City Council approval of the removal of 44 objects tied to Morongo from the museum's holdings, including 33 brownware potsherds and 11 Cahuilla baskets.

The action is part of the museum's ongoing compliance work under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA, the federal law governing the repatriation of Native American human remains and certain cultural and sacred objects.

According to a staff report, the objects entered the museum's collection over several decades through donations and acquisitions dating to the early to mid-20th century.

The potsherds were removed from Morongo Canyon before being donated in 1964.

Several baskets were collected by Harwood Hall, a former superintendent of Sherman Indian School in Riverside, and donated by his widow in 1951. Others came through donations connected to Banning families or were later acquired by the museum.

Museum staff said historical research, correspondence and consultation with tribal representatives determined the objects are culturally affiliated with the Morongo Band.

Representatives from the tribe, including members of its Tribal Council, met with museum staff in March. The museum later received a formal repatriation request from Morongo Tribal Council Chairman Charles Martin.

In that request, the tribe wrote that the objects represent "significant contributions to our traditional lifeways and culture" and affirmed the need for their return.

Under the museum's collections policy, compliance with state and federal law is the primary basis for deaccession decisions. The policy also states that sacred Indigenous objects should not be exhibited or interpreted against the wishes of tribal representatives.

Staff also omitted photographs of the items from public materials out of respect for Indigenous preferences surrounding the publication of culturally significant artifacts.

The recommendation previously received unanimous support from the museum's Collections Committee in May and will return to the Museum Board before advancing to City Council.

The Morongo Band of Mission Indians did not immediately respond to a request for comment.