HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 244 Draft 01 2004-2006 ~?V^or y4_
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COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII
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RESOLUTION NO. 244 X06
A RI{SOLU~IION SifPPOR'I~ING IiI~POR'CS "FO PRO'I~F,C"1 NA'I~IVE HAWAIIAN
ANCESTRAL REMAINS (IGVI KtIPIIN9), FUNERARY OBJECTS (MOEPU), SACRIiD
OBJF.C'fS, AND CliL"I'URAI, PATRIMONY FROM DESECRATION AND DF,S'I'RUC~fION.
WI IEREAS_ the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a
federal law enacted in 1990, provides a process for museums and lederal agencies to return
Native American and Native I Iawaiian cultural items, including ancestral remains (iwi kupuna).
funerary objects (moepu), sacred (ceremonial) objects, and cultural patrimony (ohjects u~ilh
onKoing hi.clorical, n~adiliona/, or cul[ural iniporlance), to their respective lineal descendants.
culturally affiliated Indian tribes (including Alaska Natives), and Native Hawaiian organizations;
and
WI IIiREAS. significant Native Hawaiian cultural items were intentionally disturbed and
removed from the Kawaihae ('ave complex on Hawaii Island in 1905 by the David Forhes
expedition, without the consent of lineal descendants, and were conveyed to Bishop Museum:
and
WHI?RFAS. in February 2000, Bishop Museum released these cultural items, including
among thcu~, carved wooden statuettes of family gods ('arnakuu/, sl human hair wig (launho).
and gourds (ipu 'uinu) with human teeth, which were repatriated to their historical repository on
1 fawai`i Island; and
WILIiRi?AS, in August 2005, two claimants to the Kawaihae Cave (Forbes) Collection
filed suit in U.S. District Court, petitioning for the return of K3 cultural items to Bishop Museum
until issues of repatriation or linal disposition are resolved; and
WHEREAS, NAGPRA provides that "~t~he United States district courts shall have
jurisdiction over any action brought by any person alleging a violation of this Act and shall have
the authority to issue such orders as may be necessary to enfiirce the provisions of this Act' X25
l~.S.C. 3013 and
WI IFRI?AS, the legislative intent of NAGPIU~ was to rectify past wrongs and harm
committed against native peoples and to protect their ancestral remains and cultural treasures
from dcsecra~ion and destruction; and
WHI{RI?AS, the Council of the County of Hawaii recognises its responsibility to foster
greater awareness of and respect for Native !Iawaiian cultural values and traditional belief
systems among the citizens of Hawaii County.
NOW, "fHEREI'ORE_ BE IT RESOLVED 13Y "fH{? COUNCIL OF THE COUN"I~Y OF
I IAWnI`I that it supports the cultural rights and practices oi~the Native Hawaiian community to
protect its ancestral remains (itti~i kupuna), funerary objects (rnoepu), sacred objects, and cultural
patrimony, in reverence to its kupuna and on behalf of future generations; and
BI? IT FUR'I~HER RESOLVED that the Council of the County of Hawaii calls upon the
Native Hawaiian community and parties involved to enter the ho'oponopono process to resolve
and set right this historic matter; and
Rli CC F[NN.I.Y Ri:SOLVF,D that the Clerk of the County of Hawaii transmit certified
copies of this resolution to the Hawaii Island Burial Council, Department of Iawaiian Home
bands, Ofticc of Hawaiian AI fairs- Slate Historic Preservation Division, State Attorney General
Mark J. Bcmlctt_ the Honorable Linda Lingle, Governor, State of f lawai'i, and the Honorable
I tarry Kim, Mayor, County of I Iawai'i.
DA'I'F.D: _ Hawaii, this _ _ day of _ _ , 2006.
INTRODUCI?U I3Y:
CO CII. B ,COUNT A
ROLL CALL VOTE
COUN'I~Y COUNCIL
County of Hawaii _ nvrs NOi~s nes f~
Hilo. 1 Iawai'i niznKnhi
nR~n
- - - - - -
I hcrcb} catilj Ihei the Inrcgomg RP.SUI_I "IION wao h} IIOPPM.INV
the eu0.~ Indicated to the nght herail adopted he the CUUNCII, nl the - ~ - - - -
Counh of itmcai'i un HOISCIII II_ _ - _ _
IKI?I)A
ItiRI[LI~~ ~ - ~ ~ ~
A~tll?tiT: .IACOnSOV ~
PII,A(il)~_ _ _ - - - _ -
ti!VARIK ~
Reference- C-641/Waived HSEIJC
COUTv"rY CLERK CHAIRMAN & PRE.SIUMG OFFICER RESOLU"IION NO. 244 ~6
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