Stolen ancestral remains to be brought back to Hawaii from Germany, Austria

Some 58 sets of Iwi Kupuna — Hawaiian ancestral remains — that were stolen more than 100 years ago will return to Hawaii.
Published: Feb. 8, 2022 at 8:08 PM HST|Updated: Feb. 8, 2022 at 8:10 PM HST
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Some 58 sets of iwi kupuna — Hawaiian ancestral remains — that were stolen more than 100 years ago will return to Hawaii.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs said it has been working for years to retrieve the ancestral remains, which have been held at museums and academic institutions in Germany and Austria.

OHA said the iwi kupuna were taken from Kauai, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii Island during a time of colonial violence, and were “horrendously dehumanized for study without the consent of their families.” 

Hawaiian leaders said the return of the iwi kupuna to their homeland will “allow for healing and restoration of dignity, so they may finally rest peacefully.”

In a “handover ceremony” on Tuesday, OHA delegates received 8 of the iwi po’o — or skulls — at the Ubersee Museum in Germany.

“We work collaboratively, kupuna and moopuna, each requiring the support of the other to facilitate their return to our family, to our lahui kanaka,” said Kalehua Caceres of OHA’s Hui Iwi Kuamoo.

“We have worked collaboratively with the government of Germany, the state of Bremen, the American Consulate and the staff of the Ubersee Museum to ensure our kupuna’s return to Hawaii.”

The delegates are scheduled to travel to other institutions in Germany and then to Vienna to collect the rest of the remains.

OHA said all 58 sets of remains will be returned to Hawaii by next Tuesday.

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