HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0641.005 2004-2006
~~.xr. ._~~^E LF~EN~JF~~ 3200 F.2
Testimony in support F3ill f~41
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING EFFORTS Tii PROTECT iS~~T1VE HA~'JIIAN
ANCESTRAL REMA?NS (IN!rKUPUNAJ, FL'JIERARY ~JBJECTS (MCyEPU), SACRFiD
GpJECTS, ANC CTJLTL`RAI_ PATRIMONY FROM DESECRAI~1{)Iv ANLD DF_ST,<TrC''ION.
Presented io Hawai'i County Counc,l
7anuary 19`"; ?0(:6
Aloha, m~a name is Toni-Ann Sinrio and T atn currant]y a resident of Hilo. I atn
;ai~mitting nay ~~°i:1en testimony in support of Bill 641, a resolution supporting the efforts t~
protect l~'ati~c Ha:rmiian ancestral remains (lure kupunti) funernry ohjrcts (moepul, sa~red
;ejects. ant cultural pz,rin~ony from dt=secrati~m uctd dr~.tructicn.
I suppor. Bill 64i because [believe c•u!turat ,rtes should be l~i_ undisturbed E eiy
eouiety should te, rectthe deparked and adhere cc rte cuhLral, i f no[ s~=real, decency to ,~ceve~nt
~irsecJti.;r apt stray t;un of :Neese sites. [ w->u1d no: v:ant what h~.ppened to Cne Egypturn:.
cf~~.pe~ u:r a-. ~stors, the desccratiut. and thie~,er> ~4 _he resting Ilaccs of their mor~.aYChs and
`erefathers be :xhers seer~tzg fortrme ae~d fame. tiVc arc cniqur by t eat our communih. is a
blending o1 cultures and beliefs. Each has the right to e:;press ,rod 31~ide by those belie':; an i
cultural przctice; cot forth by their ancestors That uniqueness will 1 e forgotten if any or.e
~nlwrc i, gh er...eave to blatantly ienore and disresp; a; tf~e heliel's uad practices ei anther fi r
„-.caet2', nr pea;:.ai gain.
As 'Qaete 4 iawaitan, I believe that it ~s vital for the ccunn~ until to also su3 hurt and
approve :his resolrr~on to protect and uphold the irtegcivl~ of this Narv~s American Gra~~ea
Protecuer. and Recatriatron Act ~NAGFRA). 'Phis ederal lay, besarm~ upon hdative H.cwaiitcn
ergunizatsals, as ~,~e_1 as culturally affil.atcd Indian dribcs, and °espective lineal descen Aants the
rigni and process to .caaim Native American and Nati~-c Hawaiian cultural items, ircl~_~diag
anccsicat remains :,vii b_upunaj, funeral;; objects. (:noepu sacred (c;;rc;monial ~ objects, and
cultural pat.imuns (objects with ~ongoin, historicv, traditional, or c41hua1 imp,rtance) i-~~rn
museums astd federal agencies. NAGPRA is the suhua~ which cl xur° is gwen to t!:o;e ho
are at unras_ due t~> the ~.°;°crati4n ano destructior. of cuI_ural and hur.il sites.
htnA !f.€: _r:;n~~, council for [Heir time to recer. .nl; and corn i:'tiring my wrirte
te,tsncny in supp,~.` at _Sih_ 641.
Respectfull_~ sub
-'_;tted,
_pp r
''~or.i-Ann Sarnio
~ki7+~
Comm. No.
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