Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 2, 1 February 1997 — OHA Updates [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Updates

Seeking Hawaiian inpul on federal NAGPRA law A federal law enacted in 1990 is giving back power to native peoples in the United States concerning ancestral remains and sacred religious objects. The pubhc is invited to eome and learn about this federal law, and to share their thoughts on its impact on Hawaiian culture and preservation practices. The OHA Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Council is eonducting a series of neighbor island community meetings on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The meetings will be conducted by three of Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Council's 15 members, and by its legal counsel on the NAGPRA, T. Lani Ma'a Lapilio. Former OHA Trustee Samuel Kealoha, who also served on the eouneil, will be a guest speaker. The NHHPC met with Lāna'i and Kaua'i communities late last year, and on O'ahu in 1994 and 1995. Enacted in 1990, the NAGPRA provides a process to return to Native Americans and Native Hawaiians their ancestral human remains, funerary goods, and religious and cultural objects held in museums that receive federal funding. The act also makes illegal the trafficking of those items, and sets forth procedures to protect Native American and Native Hawaiian

graves and cultural items located on federal, Indian and Native Hawaiian lands. OHA is one of only two Hawaiian organizations specifically named in the NAGPRA that may request repatriation of and should be consulted regarding Native Hawaiian remains and artifacts. In coordination with Hui Mālama i Nā Kūpuna o Hawai'i Nei, more than a thousand 'iwi (bones) from museums across the country have been repatriated. The OHA Board of Trustees in 1993 authorized the Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Council (NHHPC) to represent OHA in all activities related to the NAGPRA. As it has been for the past six years, the NHHPC is a permanent advisory body to the board on all matters related to historic preservation:

Lauhala weavers' directory and conference The OHA Culture Office is now gathering information for a directory of lauhala weavers to be published this summer. To be listed, eall the office at 594-1930. The office is also planning its second lauhala conferenee in Kona later this year. Culfural sfewardship conference A conference on "cultural stewardship" on O'ahu is tentatively planned for this May by the OHA Culture Office, to examine the implications of federal and state cultural preservation laws for the island of O'ahu. Conferences have already been held on the neighbor islands, with the exception of Kaua'i, whieh will take plaee at a later date.

Native Hawaiian Education Council The Native Hawaiian Education Council was established to make sure Hawaiian students, parents and communities are heard, and involved, in planning educational programs that meet their needs. The eouneil held its first meeting in January to orient members and discuss issues in Hawaian education. The 25-member eouneil is made up of representatives from the Dept. Of Education, OHA, Alu Like, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian Language Immersion Advisory Council, Aha Punana Leo, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations and the Queen Lili'uokalani Trust and Children's Center. The eouneil was established and funded under the Native Hawaiian Education Act to improve the coordination of educational services and programs for Native Hawaiians. OHA is administering the two-year, $300,000 grant. Harriet 0'Sullivan is the project coordinator. Island eouncils are now being established. Their roIe will be to represent their loeal and island communities and to assure that their concerns are recognized and addressed.

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