Statement on the Need for an Active Burial Council 

Community Contributed 

By Keomailani Hanapi Hirata

The protection of iwi kupuna and burial sites is a sacred kuleana that must be upheld with the highest level of cultural care, local oversight, and community authority. For remote islands like Molokai, Lanai, and others with limited state agency presence, the absence of an active burial council leaves our most sacred sites vulnerable to desecration, neglect, and irreversible harm. Our kupuna and their final resting places deserve better. 

There are four main reasons why an active burial council is critical for Molokai and remote islands. One, is the geographic and cultural necessity of the council. Remote islands have unique burial traditions, undocumented sites, and lineal descendants who live with their ‘aina. Decisions about iwi kupuna should be made by those who know the ʻaina and its history best.  State agencies often lack the capacity or cultural understanding to respond swiftly to burial discoveries, leading to delays, mishandling, and avoidable trauma for families. 

The second is the council works at preventing exploitation and desecration. Without an active burial council, developers and outside entities face little accountability. Molokai has already seen threats from unsustainable tourism, land development, and mismanagement of cultural sites. A local burial council ensures that permits, construction, and land use respect burial grounds before damage occurs—rather than offering apologies after it’s too late.

It also upholds indigenous sovereignty. The right to protect our ancestors is a fundamental aspect of Hawaiian self-governance. Burial councils are a step toward correcting historical injustices that have stripped Native Hawaiians of control over their own heritage. 

The final reason is healing through cultural protocol. When iwi are disturbed, proper reburial and ceremony must be led by those with cultural knowledge. A Molokai-based burial council ensures that protocols from our own kupuna and descendants are followed—not a one-size-fits-all state approach.  This is not just about policy—it’s about malama pono and aloha ʻaina in the way our ancestors intended. Our ancestors’ voices are in our ʻaina. Their iwi carry our history, our identity, and our future. We will not allow them to be erased.