Wal-Mart sticks to reburial schedule

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

Wal-Mart and its hired team of archaeologists said yesterday they are sticking to their goal of finishing work by the end of March on the human remains unearthed during construction of the company's Ke'eaumoku Street retail complex, despite pressure to have the bones reburied this week.

Melanie Chinen, administrator of the State Historic Preservation Division, acknowledged last week that the archaeologists' vacation schedule had kept them from meeting a Jan. 3 deadline for finishing their inventory of the 44 to 50 sets of remains and clearing the way for reburial.

And yesterday, during a meeting of the O'ahu Island Burial Council, Wal-Mart attorney Donna Leong said that the company sought outside advice from an expert who found completion by March to be "very reasonable."

Leong submitted to the council copies of a letter from Michael Pietrusewski, in which the University of Hawai'i anthropology professor endorsed the methods used by the archaeological contractor, Aki Sinoto Consulting.

Archaeological work has been complicated because remains in one area were scattered and mixed with animal remains and other matter.

Chinen was unavailable for comment after Wal-Mart's presentation yesterday.

Leong said after the meeting that she is pressing the state to convene a meeting of the descendants recognized by the council so that a final reburial blueprint — a "burial treatment plan" — could be approved. Without this plan in place, Leong said, the company is unable to secure permits needed for the reburial in a spot set aside at the Makaloa-Sheridan corner of the property.

But Moses Haia, an attorney representing some descendants who favor earlier reburial, said it ultimately will be the state's decision when to call a halt to the archaeological work and to settle on a burial plan.

"The state doesn't need to wait for an approved burial treatment plan to be agreed on by everyone," Haia said. "It is only consultation they're required to do. While there are circumstances where it's possible to get all the families on the same page, sometimes you have to make the call, because that will never happen."

The remains were found on various dates beginning in January 2003. They were dug up in July 2004 in preparation for reburial and are being kept in a trailer near the burial site.

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