Hawaiian Artifacts From 1938 Head Home
Published Date: 6/11/2026
Notice
Summary
The American Museum of Natural History plans to return five Native Hawaiian cultural items, like stone tools, that were taken from burial sites on Oʻahu back in 1938. This repatriation will start on or after July 13, 2026, giving Native Hawaiian groups a chance to reclaim their heritage. No money changes hands, but it’s a big step in respecting and restoring Native Hawaiian history.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Return of Five Native Hawaiian Artifacts
The American Museum of Natural History intends to repatriate five unassociated funerary objects — one hammerstone, one whetstone or net sinker, and three stone discs or game stones — that were excavated from burials at Ahua Point, Oʻahu between March and May 1938. Repatriation may occur on or after July 13, 2026, and the items were sold to the Museum by Lt. Col. Linscott A. Hall in 1946.
Who Can Request Repatriation
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in the notice may submit a written request for repatriation by showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. If competing requests are received, the Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor; joint requests count as a single request.
Safety Advisory for Handling Items
The Museum notes that it previously applied potentially hazardous pesticides to items in its collections and records do not specify which objects were treated; anyone handling these materials should follow advice from industrial hygienists or medical personnel with specialized occupational health training.
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