Official DECLARATION CALLING FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE IWI KUPUNA (ANCESTRAL REMAINS) in Ka Wai Ola
As seen in this month's issue of Ka Wai Ola:
http://www.oha.org/pdf/kwo06/0602/18.pdf
It states:
DECLARATION CALLING FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE IWI KUPUNA (ANCESTRAL REMAINS) AND MOEPÜ (FUNERARY OBJECTS) OF THE HONOKOA, KAWAIHAE BURIAL CAVES
WE BELIEVE IN MAINTAINING THE SANCTITY OF THE KAWAIHAE BURIAL CAVES.
The ceremonial burial of iwi kupuna (ancestral Native Hawaiian remains) and moepü (funerary objects) involves great secrecy in order to protect the burial site and ensure the peace and sanctity of ancestors who have passed away, as well as the spiritual, physical, and psychological well-being of their descendants. The desecration of burials (such as the exposure or destruction of bones, robbing funerary objects, or otherwise disturbing the site) results in great cultural and religious harm to both the ancestors and to the descendants, as well as spiritual exile in the afterlife for people implicated in the re-desecration.
WE SUPPORT EFFORTS TO REPATRIATE ANCESTRAL REMAINS AND FUNERARY OBJECTS TO THEIR RIGHTFUL RESTING PLACE THROUGH THE NAGPRA PROCESS. The 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) sought to repair harm done to Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians whose gravesites were desecrated by the United States. The NAGPRA process has resulted in the repatriation (return to Native soil) of over 3,500 iwi küpuna and moepü from numerous federally funded institutions such as the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum (BPBM).
WE AFFIRM THAT THE KAWAIHAE BURIAL CAVES REPATRIATION IS COMPLETE. In February 2000, Hui Mälama reburied numerous sets of iwi küpuna and 83 moepü in the Kawaihae caves they came from, an action that was in line with the official positions taken by the three other claimants at the time (Hawai‘i Island Burial Council, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands). After reburial occurred, nine additional claimants (not including Nä Lei Ali‘i o Kawänanakoa) stepped forward, and in 2001 the NAGPRA process was completed with all 13 claimant organizations agreeing to disagree in a “Document of Truth and Agreement” (signed by L. Suganuma).
WE CALL FOR JUDGE DAVID EZRA TO: 1) HALT ALL EFFORTS TO RETRIEVE THE MOEPÜ THUS UNDOING THE NAGPRA PROCESS AND 2) VACATE ALL ORDERS OF IMPRISONMENT, INCLUDING CONFINEMENT, OF EDWARD HALEALOHA AYAU. December 27, 2005, Judge David Ezra held Hui Mälama’s executive director (Edward Halealoha Ayau), Kumu (Pua Kanahele) and board members (Charles Maxwell, William Aila, and Antoinette Freitas) in contempt of court for refusing to reveal the exact location of the moepü from Kawaihae, an act that would force Hui Mälama to violate its cultural and religious beliefs and go against the request of the majority of claimants in the Kawaihae case to leave the iwi kupuna and moepü undisturbed. Judge Ezra’s action is a result of a larger effort by L. Suganuma (Royal Hawaiian Academy of Traditional Arts), A. Kawänanakoa (Nä Lei Ali‘i o Kawänanakoa), and W. Brown (BPBM) to re-enter the burial caves, retrieve the moepü, and re-start the NAGPRA process that has already been declared complete. If this course of action sees through, all past, present, and future efforts to repatriate and rebury iwi kupuna and moepü through the NAGPRA process will be in jeopardy. The imprisonment of Edward Halealoha Ayau also represents a new threat to all Hawaiians who wish to uphold their religious and cultural beliefs without persecution. These precedents will impact Native Americans and Alaskan Natives who similarly struggle to maintain and protect the sanctity of their burial sites and ancestors through the NAGPRA process.
The organizations, families, and individuals listed below affirm this declaration:
LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS
‘Ïlio‘ulaokalani Coalition
Native Hawaiian Advisory Council
PA‘I Foundation
Känäwao
Nä Maka Häloa
Läläkea Foundation
Nä Wai ‘Awa‘awa
He ‘Ohe
Hale Noa
Mana Maoli
Aloha Friday Productions
NATV Pictures, LLC
N ä ‘Api‘iali‘i Holoholo
Queens, Hawai‘i
Ke Kahua Pa‘a
NOA (Not of Amerikkka)
Paia‘a‘ala Productions
Kauahea, Inc
‘Äpono ‘Ia, LLC.
Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation
Nä Lei Na‘auao
Nä Pualei o Likolehua
Hälau Ke‘alaokamaile
Pua Ali‘i ‘Ilima
Hälau Nä Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu
Hälau o ke ‘A‘ali‘i Kü Makani
K a Pä Hula O Kauanoe
O Wa‘ahila
Hälau o Kawainuhi
Hälau Palaihiwa O Kaipuwai
Hälau Nä Lei Kaumaka O Uka
Nä Maile Kü Honua
Pä‘ü O Hi‘iaka-Wailuku, Maui
Papa Laua‘e O Makana, Kaua’i
LIST OF FAMILIES
Ahi‘ena O Puna ‘Ohana
Puna, Hawai‘i
Ahi‘ena-Kanahele ‘Ohana
Pana‘ewa, Hawai‘i
Cabebe ‘Ohana
Hanapëpë, Kaua‘i
Chu ‘Ohana
Honolulu, O‘ahu
Espere ‘Ohana
Wainiha, Kaua‘i
De Coito Ohana
Kea‘au, Hawai‘i
DeFries ‘Ohana
Kaläwahine Homestead, O‘ahu
Holi ‘Ohana
Hanapëpë, Kaua‘i
Hökülani Holt-Padilla‘Ohana
Kauahea, Maui
Hind ‘Ohana
Pälolo, O‘ahu
Hussey ‘Ohana
Kohala, Hawai‘i
Johns ‘Ohana
Pana‘ewa, Hawai‘i
Ka‘awaloa ‘Ohana
Puna, Hawai‘i
Ka‘iana Haili ‘Ohana
Hilo, Hawai‘i
Ka‘iliwai ‘Ohana
Kona Hawai‘i
Kalei ‘Ohana
Pana‘ewa Hawai‘i
Kam ‘Ohana
Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
Kanaele-Kenao ‘Ohana
Kohala, Hawai‘i
Kanahele ‘Ohana,
Pana‘ewa, Hawai‘i
Kanïnau ‘Ohana
Wainiha, Kaua‘i
Keali‘ikanakaoleohaililani ‘Ohana
Ka‘ü Hawai‘i
Keaweamahi ‘Ohana
Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
Kekahuna ‘Ohana
O‘ahu
Kekua ‘Ohana
Anahola, Kaua‘i
Kelekolio ‘Ohana
Keaukaha, Hawai‘i
Konanui ‘Ohana
Pähoa, Hawai‘i
Kuoha ‘Ohana
Waimänalo, O‘ahu
Lindsey ‘Ohana
Kula, Maui
Mahi ‘Ohana
Anahola, Kauai
Mahi-Higa ‘Ohana
Anahola, Kaua‘i
Matsuyama ‘Ohana
Keaukaha, Hawai’i
McGuire ‘Ohana
Kailua, O‘ahu
McKeague ‘Ohana
Honouliuli, O‘ahu
Nahale-a ‘Ohana
Pana‘ewa Hawai‘i
Nakea ‘Ohana
O‘ahu
Näleimaile ‘Ohana
Hilo, Hawai‘i
Nihipali ‘Ohana
O‘ahu
Osorio ‘Ohana
Pälolo, O‘ahu
Pä ‘Ohana
Kauai, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i
Perry ‘Ohana
O‘ahu
Purdy ‘Ohana
Ho‘olehua, Moloka‘i
Segismundo Ohana
Kapahi, Kaua‘i
Stibbard ‘Ohana
Kahuku, O‘ahu
Tengan ‘Ohana
Mänoa O‘ahu
Thomas Higashi Jr. ‘Ohana
Waipahu, O‘ahu
Thomas Higashi Sr. ‘Ohana
Honolua, Honoköhau, Maui
Tilton/ Degan ‘Ohana
‘Aiea, O‘ahu ( Phoenix, AZ)
Tsuha ‘Ohana
Kahakuloa, Maui
Tyson Gomez ‘Ohana
Wainiha, Kaua‘i
Uehara-Tilton ‘Ohana
‘Aiea, O‘ahu ( Phoenix,AZ)
Waiau-Wright ‘Ohana
Kalapana, Hawai‘i
Williams ‘Ohana
Lahaina, Maui
Young, Kanalu ‘Ohana
O‘ahu, Maui, Kona Hawai‘i
Wright-Peralto ‘Ohana
Puna, Hawai‘i (Antioch, CA)
Wright-Yamaguchi ‘Ohana
Puna, Hawai‘i (Oakley, CA)
Wright-Betts ‘Ohana
Pähoa, Hawai‘i
Wright-Ka‘aihue ‘Ohana
Pähoa, Hawai‘i
LIST OF INDIVIDUALS
Ali‘i Alapa‘i
A. Aikäne Alapa‘i
Ku‘ulei Alfiche
Ka‘apuwai Alfiche
Kahi Brooks
Loui Cabebe
Këhau Cachola-Abad
Kevin Chang
Sonny Ching
Shay Conant
‘Ihilani Chu
Mälia Davidson
Kamana‘opono
Davidson-Robinson Silva Decker
Nälani Garmon
Puamana Guyang
Kapena Haumea
Glenn Higa Sr.
Kamaleionälani Higa
Kia‘ipono Higa
Makamaeonälani Higa
John Hilt
Vicky Holt-Takamine
Liana Iaea Honda
Brenda Jose
George Kaapana
Pi‘ilani Ka‘awaloa
Kainani Kahaunaele
Camille Kalama
Pualani Kauila
Sabra Kauka
L. Këhaulani Kekua
Lady K. Kekua
Kekuewa Kikiloi
Kahiwaonälani Küpahu
Ku‘uleimoanike‘ala Küpahu
Tiana Laranio
Jay Lehuloa
Maelia Loebenstein Carter
Vince Keala Lucero
Noewehikëhauokalani C. Mahi
Makana Martin
Richard McCarty
Vicky McCarty
Leonora Orr
Andre Perez
John Peterson
Loko‘olu Quintero
Jeanne Rabold
Keali‘i Reichel
Layne Richards
Brett Robbins
Lana Ululani Robbins
Lisa Noelani Robbins
Kimie Sadoyama
Kapua Sawyer
Doreen Ka‘aumoana Soares Pilialoha Teves
Leipuaahi Wann
Kiele Makana Williams
Ron Williams Jr.
Bob Zauner
Christopher Zauner
That's one thing that should not be seen nor should anyone make money off of our ancestors and/or off of our iwi ("bones.") It's just disrespectful and sacreligious and some things are very sacred to me. That is... the iwi and that is why my name is somewhere in there. (I'm not saying where though LOL mainly because I like to be anonymous and don't want people interfering with my zen offline.)
Also my great great grandmother, Rachel Lokinihama Among, signed the Kue Anti-Annexation Petition. It runs in my iwi... to protect the iwi. Just saying. Also like her... I attract alot of men. I don't know what it is about me because I am not hot. I think they are attracted to my personality *LOL*
Anyway... wow seeing it brings tears to my eyes.