Marines Find Ancestral Remains at Hawaii Base, Seek Claimants
Published Date: 3/19/2025
Notice
Summary
The Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay found Native Hawaiian human remains during a 2024 dig and plans to return them to the right family or Native Hawaiian group starting April 18, 2025. If no one claims the remains by March 19, 2026, they’ll be considered unclaimed. This affects Native Hawaiian communities and honors their ancestors with respect and care.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
One Native Hawaiian individual identified
Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) recorded the discovery of human skeletal remains representing at least one individual of Native Hawaiian ancestry found during archaeological testing on January 24, 2024, at MCBH Kaneohe Bay. The remains have no associated funerary objects and MCBH intends to carry out disposition to lineal descendants or Native Hawaiian organizations.
Claims process, deadline, and evidence standard
Written claims for disposition must be sent to the official listed in the notice; claims may be submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization identified in the notice, or by others who show by a preponderance of the evidence that they have priority. Disposition may occur on or after April 18, 2025, and if no claim is received by March 19, 2026, the remains will be considered unclaimed.
Named individuals and organizations given priority
MCBH lists specific named lineal descendants, families (ʻohana), Native Hawaiian organizations, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Oahu Island Burial Council as having priority for disposition of the remains (the notice names multiple individuals and groups). Those named parties have priority to claim the remains.
Competing claims and joint disposition rule
If competing claims for disposition are received, MCBH must determine the most appropriate claimant before disposition. Requests for joint disposition are treated as a single request and are not considered competing claims.
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Key Dates
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