Posted on: Thursday, August 26, 2004

Hui Malama reports break-in at cave holding burial objects

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

Leaders of a Native Hawaiian burials group said last night that it has found evidence of a break-in at the Big Island cave from which burial objects reportedly went missing and were offered for sale.

Hui Malama I Na Kupuna O Hawai'i Nei sought access to Kanupa Cave after news reports that the federal Department of the Interior was investigating offers to sell funeral objects on the island of Hawai'i, Kunani Nihipali, the group's po'o, or leader, said in a written statement. The group is a nonprofit organization established for the care of ancient iwi kupuna (remains) and moepu (burial objects).

"Whoever desecrated Kanupa Cave violated Hawaiian kapu (sacred law) regarding the sanctity of a burial site and state laws regarding historic burial sites and must be apprehended," said Edward Halealoha Ayau of Hui Malama. "Though the thieves who committed this crime are not yet known to us, they are well-known to the robbed kupuna who will seek their own justice."

Federal agents involved in the investigation and Office of Hawaiian Affairs officials were unavailable for comment last night.

According to the statement, federal agents turned away group members at the Kohala property where the cave is located on Aug. 11, but the hui then hired its own investigator.

On Friday, the group got permission to enter the cave from the lessee of the property, which the hui would not identify. However, a source who asked not to be named because of the ongoing investigation said the lessee is Ponoholo Ranch.

"We discovered that our worst fears had come true — Kanupa Cave was broken into," Nihipali said in the statement. "Apparently over the course of at least several days, highly motivated thieves worked their way through multiple protective measures that we put in place to secure the iwi kupuna and moepu in Kanupa."

Hui Malama is one of four organizations given title to the burial objects of Kanupa almost a century after they had been removed by the J.S. Emerson expedition and later transferred to collections at the Bishop Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass.

Under a federal repatriation law, title to the Bishop objects went to Hui Malama, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Hawai'i Island Burial Council; the Peabody Essex collection went to the hui, OHA and the Hawaiian sovereignty organization Ka Lahui Hawai'i.

The transfer of burial objects was made in four lots between 1997 and 2003, with the final repatriation from Peabody Essex occurring last November.

Hui Malama transferred all the objects to the Big Island and reburied them in November.

Three of the groups sharing custody of the objects issued statements supporting the investigation.

In the statement the groups also said the thieves may have learned about the objects after published reports of the repatriation last year that listed the items.

Lehua Kinilau, who heads Ka Lahui, called on state and county officials to conduct their own investigation.

"We stand by to assist federal, state and county investigators in this matter," added Geri Bell, who chairs the burial council. "When the investigations are completed and responsible parties are apprehended, fined and prosecuted, we expect the confiscated moepu to be returned to us for proper reburial."

Reach Vicki Viotti at 525-8053 or vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com.