In this morning's Star Bulletin, the lead story says that the Bishop Museum will probably not petition to be recognized as a "native group" after all. If you read the whole story, it appears that federal funding, more than anything else, is what's swaying the directors to be inclined to vote against the petition (at least that's what I think the Star Bulletin is implying).
Personally, I think this is a prudent move on the part of the Bishop board, and not for the financial reasons that seem to be the swaying factor. Museums are meant to be cultural respositories and their mission should be to hold in trust cultural icons and other items of archeological significance. However, what could any future generation learn from the bones of an ancestor? As for the religious icons, don't those really belong to the people who used them in religious ceremonies? Is the Shroud of Turin in a non-Catholic museum? Maybe unfortunately for the kanaka maoli, they never worshipped in churches until the missionaries arrived, so there is no real sanctified official repository for their religious items as there is a Vatican for the Catholics. However, the Native Hawaiian groups have a legal right to reclaim bones and religious artifacts under federal law. They should be allowed to repatriate these items in the manner they deem honorable.
Miulang
Personally, I think this is a prudent move on the part of the Bishop board, and not for the financial reasons that seem to be the swaying factor. Museums are meant to be cultural respositories and their mission should be to hold in trust cultural icons and other items of archeological significance. However, what could any future generation learn from the bones of an ancestor? As for the religious icons, don't those really belong to the people who used them in religious ceremonies? Is the Shroud of Turin in a non-Catholic museum? Maybe unfortunately for the kanaka maoli, they never worshipped in churches until the missionaries arrived, so there is no real sanctified official repository for their religious items as there is a Vatican for the Catholics. However, the Native Hawaiian groups have a legal right to reclaim bones and religious artifacts under federal law. They should be allowed to repatriate these items in the manner they deem honorable.
Miulang
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