Post by L Roebuck on Sept 6, 2006 8:43:54 GMT -5
Buried Hawaiian Artifacts Recovered
Hui Malama Attorneys Hoped Evidence Would Block Lawsuit
HONOLULU -- Native Hawaiian artifacts that were reburied in a cave six years ago have been removed, KITV 4 News has learned.
The 83 artifacts, also known as the Forbes Collection, were first removed from the Kawaihae burial cave system just over a century ago and were displayed at Bishop museum.
In February 2000, the museum loaned the items to Hui Malama, a Native Hawaiian burial organization. Hui Malama quickly returned the items to the cave and sealed it with concrete.
Five years later, Hawaiian groups filed a lawsuit. A month later, federal Judge David Ezra ruled the items must be retrieved.
When Hui Malama leader Eddie Ayau refused to cooperate Ezra jailed him for three weeks.
In an operation that was kept secret, the items were retrieved from the cave last week.
Hui Malama was hoping new evidence would block the effort to retrieve the artifacts. Lawyers for the organization said that collusion between Abigail Kawananakoa and the Bishop Museum is grounds the lawsuit's dismissal.
It seemed unusual that the Bishop Museum and Campbell Estate heir Kawananakoa were on opposite sides of dispute over possession of the Kawaihae artifacts. Both wanted the artifacts returned.
Lawyers for the group that reburied them said they now know why.
Hui Malama's lawyers obtained documents showing that well before the lawsuit Kawananakoa secretly gave the museum $25,000 to help retrieve the items, then $50,000 two years later, followed by a $1 million pledge for the renovation of the museum's Hawaii Hall.
Hui Malama's lawyers said it proves that the Bishop Museum and Kawananakoa were legally and financially joined, even while Bishop Museum was technically a defendant on Hui Malama's side.
"It certainly put my client at a huge disadvantage in terms of a defendant and plaintiff being able to strategize," Hui Malama attorney Moses Haia said.
Hui Malama planned to argue this week that the Bishop Museum was not legally a defendant, and if it was not a defendant, the lawsuit itself was illegal.
Now that the Kawaihae artifacts are on their way back to the Bishop Museum, the legal arguments don't make any difference because it's not time to begin an argument that began six years ago over whether they should be put on display, reburied or put in storage, KITV reported.
Article and Video: Exclusive: Hawaiian Artifacts Recovered From Cave
Hui Malama Attorneys Hoped Evidence Would Block Lawsuit
HONOLULU -- Native Hawaiian artifacts that were reburied in a cave six years ago have been removed, KITV 4 News has learned.
The 83 artifacts, also known as the Forbes Collection, were first removed from the Kawaihae burial cave system just over a century ago and were displayed at Bishop museum.
In February 2000, the museum loaned the items to Hui Malama, a Native Hawaiian burial organization. Hui Malama quickly returned the items to the cave and sealed it with concrete.
Five years later, Hawaiian groups filed a lawsuit. A month later, federal Judge David Ezra ruled the items must be retrieved.
When Hui Malama leader Eddie Ayau refused to cooperate Ezra jailed him for three weeks.
In an operation that was kept secret, the items were retrieved from the cave last week.
Hui Malama was hoping new evidence would block the effort to retrieve the artifacts. Lawyers for the organization said that collusion between Abigail Kawananakoa and the Bishop Museum is grounds the lawsuit's dismissal.
It seemed unusual that the Bishop Museum and Campbell Estate heir Kawananakoa were on opposite sides of dispute over possession of the Kawaihae artifacts. Both wanted the artifacts returned.
Lawyers for the group that reburied them said they now know why.
Hui Malama's lawyers obtained documents showing that well before the lawsuit Kawananakoa secretly gave the museum $25,000 to help retrieve the items, then $50,000 two years later, followed by a $1 million pledge for the renovation of the museum's Hawaii Hall.
Hui Malama's lawyers said it proves that the Bishop Museum and Kawananakoa were legally and financially joined, even while Bishop Museum was technically a defendant on Hui Malama's side.
"It certainly put my client at a huge disadvantage in terms of a defendant and plaintiff being able to strategize," Hui Malama attorney Moses Haia said.
Hui Malama planned to argue this week that the Bishop Museum was not legally a defendant, and if it was not a defendant, the lawsuit itself was illegal.
Now that the Kawaihae artifacts are on their way back to the Bishop Museum, the legal arguments don't make any difference because it's not time to begin an argument that began six years ago over whether they should be put on display, reburied or put in storage, KITV reported.
Article and Video: Exclusive: Hawaiian Artifacts Recovered From Cave