HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0641.007 2004-2006 Page I of 1
Murashige, Laura
From: Leomi Bergknut [honuapo@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 12:10 AM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Written Testimony for County Council Mtg of 1-20-06 -
Aloha Kakou,
Please accept my written letter of testimony for the Hawaii County Council to accept a resolufion in
support of "A Resolution Supporting Efforts to Protect Native Hawaiian Ancestral Remains (Iwi
Kupuna), Funerary Objects (Moepu), Sacred Objects, and Cultural Patrimony from Desecration and
Destruction" that will be introduced on Friday, January 20, 2006.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at 987-3432 if further information is needed.
Mahalo,
Leomi I,. Bergknut
Comm. No. ~ ~ 1
Ref. To.•~««w""'rt^~I
Ref, Uote ~ I
1 /20/2006
January 19, 2006
Leomi L. Bergknut
281 Kipa Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Aloha to the Hawaii County Council:
Please accept this letter as part of a written testimony in support of a
Resolution Supporting Efforts to Protect Native Hawaiian Ancestral Remains
(Iwi Kupuna), Funerary Objects (Moepu), Sacred Objects, and Cultural
Patrimony From Desecration and Destruction that is being introduced on
Friday, January 20, 2006.
As a Native Hawaiian, I recently studied the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAG PRA) with fellow Native American
students as part of a Community Development class. It was apparent that
there have been many atrocities that have been done with our ancestors. For
many of us there is a deep sense of responsibility that we protect and
respect what our ancestors, our elders and kupuna, have entitled to them.
I have always been taught to respect the traditions of the dying and the dead
- it is a humanistic right that we respect the wishes of those before us who
are entering this part of life. As a child I was taught not to disturb or enter
an area where burial remains might be out of respect. Why should we not
continue to respect and protect those who have left us from our ancestral
past?
Native Hawaiians are a living people and our culture is alive! All of us need
to recognize the responsibility to foster and respect Native Hawaiian cultural
values and beliefs. Do to this, I ask all of you to support this resolution to
protect our Iwi Kupuna and Moepu that are protected by the Native American
Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, Public Law 101-601.
Malama Pono,
Leomi L. Bergknut
Ph: 808-987-2013
Email: honuapo@hotmail.com