|
Native
American Graves Protection and
Repatriation
Review Committee
Dispute Findings
Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee Findings
and Recommendations
Regarding Human Remains Identified as 12-5456,
from the Hawaiian Islands
April 15, 1993
Federal
Register / Vol. 58, No. 71 / Thursday, April 15, 1993 / Notices
19688
_______________________________________________________________________
NOTICE
NATIVE AMERICAN GRAVES PROTECTION AND REPATRIATION REVIEW COMMITTEE:
FINDING
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior
ACTION: Finding Regarding Human Remains Identified as 12-5456, from
the Hawaiian Islands.
_______________________________________________________________________
After full and careful consideration of all information and arguments
submitted and presented by representatives of the P.A. Hearst Museum
of
Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, and Hui M
lama I
N K puna O Hawai i Nei, the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Review Committee have been unable to determine that
the
preponderance of the evidence indicates that there is a relationship
of
shared group identity which can be reasonably traced between present
day Native Hawaiian organizations and those human remains identified
as
12-5456.
The human remains, currently in the possession of the P.A. Hearst
Museum, consist of a fragmentary skull accessioned by the museum
in
1935. The individual is noted in the catalog as deriving from the
Hawaiian Islands. In a letter acknowledging the gift, the acting
curator refers to the individual as a "Polynesian." The
Committee
considered contextual, osteological, and spiritual information in
arriving at their finding.
While the Committee has been unable to determine that the preponderance
of the evidence indicates a relationship of shared group identity
which
can be reasonably traced between present day Native Hawaiian
organizations and those human remains identified as 12-5456, the
Committee noted that:
1) the human remains are from the Hawaiian Islands;
2) the scientific or educational value the human remains may have
for
the P.A. Hearst Museum is very small and has been reduced further
by the current dispute; and
3) the necessary expertise for clarifying the cultural affiliation
of
these human remains is available in Hawaii.
To resolve this issue, the Committee recommends that the P.A. Hearst
Museum transfer the remains identified as 12-5456 to a museum in
Hawaii
for future consideration of cultural affiliation and care.
Dated: March 28, 1993
Ms. Tessie Naranjo
Chair, Native American Graves Protection
and Repatriation Review Committee
|
