Laws protecting iwi need review

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 05, 2012

~~<p>Two recent court actions related to the disinterment of Native Hawaiian remains illuminate the complexity of Hawaii burial laws, and suggest that a review of the statutes should be considered in the coming legislative session.</p>
<p>One is the Aug. 24 state Supreme Court ruling that the city must complete an archaeological survey principally aimed at identifying burials — "iwi kupuna"— likely to be along the route of its 20-mile rail project. The second came a week ago, when a panel of three judges from the Intermediate Court of Appeals granted an injunction that halted excavation of burials — the tally has now passed 600 sets of remains unearthed — on the site of a multipurpose center at Kawaiaha‘o Church.</p>
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Two recent court actions related to the disinterment of Native Hawaiian remains illuminate the complexity of Hawaii burial laws, and suggest that a review of the statutes should be considered in the coming legislative session.

One is the Aug. 24 state Supreme Court ruling that the city must complete an archaeological survey principally aimed at identifying burials — "iwi kupuna"— likely to be along the route of its 20-mile rail project. The second came a week ago, when a panel of three judges from the Intermediate Court of Appeals granted an injunction that halted excavation of burials — the tally has now passed 600 sets of remains unearthed — on the site of a multipurpose center at Kawaiaha‘o Church. Login for more...