Ancestral bones to
be buried at last

Native Hawaiians believe
the return of the remains will help
restore both the dead and
the living

By Susan Kreifels
Star-Bulletin

To native Hawaiians, the journey of more than 1,500 sets of ancestral remains from museum storage rooms back to burial sites will help restore the living as well as the dead.

"Your ancestors are your foundation," said Edward Ayau, a member of the native Hawaiian group Hui Malama. "The decomposition restores mana (energy) back to the land."

When remains are removed, "it's a separation of the ancestors from the living. The belief is that this is the reason why there is so much social decay."

Hui Malama is part of Ka Ohana O Na Iwi O Mokapu, an umbrella organization of native Hawaiian groups that was one of seven claimants the Marines announced yesterday would receive the ancient remains.

The remains were found at the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base over the last 80 years. The action complies with the 1990 Native Americanmr6 David

Bice Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The remains, held at Bishop Museum, were uncovered on the Mokapu Peninsula, many from the Heleloa burial area on north-facing beaches.

Hawaiians were notified through the Federal Register and advertisements they could apply as claimants. None of the applicants was turned down, said Kaneohe spokesman Capt. John Milliman.

The law lists two criteria for claimants. One is proof of lineal descent requiring identification of remains, but none were identified.

The other is establishment of a cultural affiliation by showing a group serves and represents the interests of native Hawaiians.

Brig. Gen. David Bice, Kaneohe's commander, approved the claimants after the military consulted with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Burial Sites Program in the State Historic Preservation Division.

Kai Markell, director of the Burial Sites Program, said native Hawaiian families in the area where remains are found may come forward to claim them, or else other Hawaiians may take responsibility.

Markell said attempts are made to rebury remains close to the areas where they were found.

The Marines have left the fate of the remains up to the claimants, Ayau said, but will help carry out their decision. "I would suspect and hope that in working with the base commander, sites will be designated on base to return them to where they originated from," he said.

Markell said about 953 more sets of remains found around Oahu remain at Bishop Museum awaiting repatriation.

Ayau said native Hawaiians have been working to reclaim the Mokapu remains since 1988.

He said the 1990 law represented a new way of thinking.

"Before, museums around the country collected human remains," Ayau said. "When ancient remains of American Indians were found, they were carted off to the Smithsonian (Institution) for study while early settlers were promptly reburied.

"No society should be singled out for this kind of treatment. By passing this law, Congress recognized the need to allow ancestors to be returned to people."

Haunani-Kay Trask, director of the Center of Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii, said the repatriation of remains is recognition by the federal government that it must respect native Hawaiian culture.

"Part of sovereignty is controlling our destiny, including our ancestors," Trask said.

Sen. Daniel Inouye, a sponsor of the 1990 law, said he is pleased the remains are going to find a final resting place, and that the act "is clearly working as it was intended to."