HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – On Saturday, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) revealed that ancestral remains, known as iwi kupuna, are being returned following official rituals held in Northern Ireland.
The office stated that the repatriation process would take several years, starting from when the initial claim was submitted in 2021 for five ancestral remains (iwi kupuna) and five sacred items (mea kapu) believed to be housed at the National Museums of Northern Ireland-Ulster Museum (NMNI Ulster).
At the time, three of the iwi kupuna, and a mea kapu could not be located by museum staff.
In April of 2022,
A group went to the museum and collected two ancestral iwi along with the sacred items.
The OHA mentioned that employees from the Ulster Museum continued their dedication to looking for the iwi kupuna, which were discovered last November.
As soon as OHA received notification, Hui Iwi Kuamoo collaborated with OHA to work alongside the museum for their return.
A ceremony to honor their return will be held on Hawaii Island.
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