Post #93733 by lanikai on Mon, May 31, 2004 4:34 PM

On 2004-04-15 17:34, Geeky Tiki wrote:

When a culture no longer maintains a grave site and it falls into obscurity or disuse, then I feel it's fair game to check it out and display what cultural findings or remains are of modern interest.

So, in this case, I'm siding with the Museum in Hawaii. It's not like the natives were tending to the burial sites and had their artifacts stolen at gun point.

There is much to be learned and appreciated in these findings and it seems a little hypocritical for people who couldn't be bothered to maintain the cultural continuity with a site to get hot and bothered about it. They could learn from this site as well as anyone about how their ancestors did live and think.

there is much in ancient Hawaiian culture that is sacred and many Hawaiians prefer that it remain sacred and secret. burial sites not being maintained is not the point. Burial sites are not publicised and are remote and hidden. They are not to be entered, tampered with or "grave robbed".

It never was and never will be considered "fair game" to disrupt a burial site.
And the stance; "They could learn how their ancestors did live and think". can not condone or justify it. It is up to those that own the culture to decide what aspects of ancient Hawaii will be offered to the profane. And that which they want to maintain as sacred.

It is not a respectful frame of mind to believe one may remove objects from a burial site by and means short of: "artifacts stolen at gun point".

Why do we not see people digging up grave sites that dot honolulu?! Many of these may be considered "an ill maintained bruial site" and according to the logic, is fair game. These date back more than one hundred years and who knows what may be contained within the coffers!?
You respect the dead. You respect the culture. No different if the burial site is 200 or 300 years old, hidden, or in public view.

When and if one stumbles upon iwi kupuna, (the bones of ancestors) one should respect the cultural practice (ancient and modern) and the wishes of the ancestors; leave it alone. there is much abuse in this area in contemporary Hawaii and corporations coming to Hawaii and pushing their weight around doesn't help much in the persuasive abilities of haoles telling kanaka maoli what to do with sacred artifacts.

The Walmart debacle comes to mind; The state sold the last large parcel in the heart of our city to walmart and they are erecting a large monolithic "mausoleum" of a structure, an unfortunate but appropriate ironic simile, as iwi kupuna has been found on the site a couple months ago and have been treated very disrespectfully since.

Iwi na kupuna are continually being desecrated and have been since the introduction of foreigners to Hawaii.
If artifacts found in a cave are to be disinterred, relocated, disturbed or directed toward some public viewing, it should be at the behest of the owners of; the site, the land and the bones and artifacts; the ancestors and kanaka maoli. This duty should be in the hands of native Hawaiian cultural organizations created for the care & protection of iwi na kupuna.
Not by some museum run by the state. Even tho that museum does a fabulous job of respecting thus far, the tradition of the akua ki'i and their exhibits. Many very capable staff members on board are to be commended for their efforts along these lines and I am proud and humbled to know them and to have been a small part of one such ceremony related to the Lono Makahiki.