Bishop Museum Repatriates 687 Hawaiian Artifacts
Published Date: 7/15/2026
Notice
Summary
The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu plans to return about 687 cultural items, like kapa cloth and canoe pieces, to Native Hawaiian groups starting August 14, 2026. These items come from caves on Hawai'i Island and hold deep cultural meaning. This repatriation honors Native Hawaiian traditions and shows respect for their heritage without any cost to the public.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Return of 687 Hawaiian Cultural Items
The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum intends to return about 687 cultural items (mostly kapa samples, plus canoe fragments, mat and pandanus fragments, cordage, wooden fire sticks, and a beaded dog-tooth necklace) that came from the Honoko'a Gulch Cave Complex on Hawai'i Island. The museum says repatriation may occur on or after August 14, 2026, honors Native Hawaiian traditions, and will be done without cost to the public.
Who Can Request Repatriation
Any lineal descendant or Native Hawaiian organization not named in the notice may send a written request for repatriation if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. If competing requests are received, the museum will determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation, and joint requests are treated as a single request.
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