Friday, July 17, 2009 Honolulu Advertiser
Lawsuit Accuses Church Of Digging Into Hawaiian Graves
By Rick Daysog
Advertiser Staff Writer
A descendant to Hawaiian royalty has sued Kawaiaha'o Church and state officials over the discovery of 69 human remains during construction of the church's planned $17.5 million multipurpose center.
In a suit filed in state Circuit Court on Wednesday, Abigail Kawananakoa alleged that church officials and construction workers conducted trenching work within the burial plot of her ancestor Queen Kapi'olani and those of other Hawaiian families.
Kawananakoa, Kapi'olani's great-grandniece and an heiress to the Campbell Estate fortune, also alleged that the church, with the aid of officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, circumvented state burial laws to fast-track the development of the new center.
"This project is about greed, not God," Kawananakoa said in an e-mail to The Advertiser. "I must take this to court because I cannot allow the desecration of Hawaiian graves to continue."
The church said it disputes many of the allegations in Kawananakoa's lawsuit and said it "scrupulously followed" requirements set by the DLNR and other state regulatory agencies. It added that it made no attempt to circumvent a review of the project by the O'ahu Burial Council and is complying with additional guidelines set up last month by the DLNR.
In an e-mailed response to The Advertiser yesterday, the church said it has tried to meet repeatedly with Kawananakoa to address her concerns but was rebuffed. The e-mail did not address Kawananakoa's allegation that trenching work encroached on the Kapi'olani family's burial plot.
In April, church officials denied that the Kapi'olani plot had been impacted, saying Kawananakoa was "placing her personal agenda above the church and the wishes of the congregation." But a month later, they said they were unsure whether construction work had dug into the Kapi'olani plot.
"At this time, in an abundance of caution, we would rather state that it is uncertain whether the Kapi'olani plot has been impacted," the church said in a May e-mail to The Advertiser.
Called "the Westminster Abbey of Hawai'i," Kawaiaha'o is one of the state's oldest and best known churches. It is listed on the national and state registers of historic places and is the final resting place of King William Charles Lunalilo.
Large discovery
The new multipurpose center — next to the church sanctuary — aims to expand the church's membership, which has declined in recent years. The center — which will include classrooms, a $1 million kitchen and office space — replaces the church's old Likeke Hall, which was also built on a former cemetery.
The Kawaiaha'o iwi discovery is one of the largest on O'ahu, exceeding those found at Wal-Mart's Ke'eaumoku location and the Ward Village Shops in Kaka'ako, whose building plans were delayed for months due to the discovery.
George Van Buren, an attorney for Kawananakoa, alleged in the lawsuit that the church and DLNR officials should have known it would unearth human remains because the property had once been a cemetery.
Van Buren added that Kawaiaha'o officials and the DLNR disregarded the advice of the church's archaeological consultants, who recommended a subsurface archaeological study for iwi, or bones, and other cultural artifacts before building.
"Kawaiaha'o Church was concerned that any archaeological inventory survey would discover a concentration of human burial remains in the graveyard that could hinder and/or perhaps halt construction of the multipurpose center," Van Buren said.
DLNR officials would not comment, saying they have not yet reviewed Kawananakoa's lawsuit.
another lawsuit
Dana Naone Hall, former chairwoman of the Maui-Lana'i Island Burial Council, said she also plans to sue DLNR and church officials over their handling of the matter.
Naone Hall, whose relatives are buried at the church's cemetery ground, noted that state laws require Kawaiaha'o officials to conduct an environmental assessment of the property since the church is a designated historic site.
"Your illegal determinations constitute a concerted effort by the DLNR, entered in cooperation with the representatives of Kawaiaha'o Church, to circumvent the plain requirements of our state's burial law," Naone Hall said.
Reach Rick Daysog at rdaysog@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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i rarely have much in common with our sistah TINA, however i call this shot with her, concerning the suit. have we become Greedy like the western americans going after the money??? I agree with TINA that Ho'oponopono to settle a wrong and to set things right is the native hawaiian values way of life for us the kanaka maoli's, that is what our true kupuna kahiko (ancestors) taught us and have we forgotten the ways of our ancestors???
there is more value than the american values, by being good examples to our next generation to come. if our Queen wanted greed she would like all of agree to your same actions, however she seen fit what was best for us the next generation and held back to do what was right (being PONO).
my many Blessings to the leaders in your village to take the proper step and guide your people the kanaka maoli's to hold the honor and respect of our native hawaiian values.
mahalo Ke Akua and rely on him, not on the american dollar their greed ways
until we all meet in unity
malama kou kino (take care of your body)..........................~da princess~
I am hau oli to see Hawaiians standing up to fight for the Ancestors. Go get Abigail . Hawai'i needs more Hawaiians like u to stand up and go forth . Bs on this the real Queen .The real Queen was imprisoned in her own home .. and I am Hau oli to see u come forth brave to do more than most of us do . But I must say We Hawaiians are starting to really see the light . Mahalo to u for your Aloha For the Ancestors we Hawaiians are all related no matter how much and how little the blood tie . Hawaiian's stand together do not turn on each other get the country back than if u like fight go for it . This i am and u are not and blah blah blah grow up show u are matured not stuck in the mud fight for what is right !!!!!!!!
I'm glad that she is suing. Unfortunately sometimes that is the only way that some people will listen.
That is one thing that I don't like about some people who purport to be "religious." Often some of them are THE most pilau, self-righteous, anti-Christ/anti-God-like people I have ever met so it does not surprise me that Kawaiahao Church is clouded in another drama.
how you folks can lie she is a escendant she i of marraige i do not know what kind of uamau kea oka aina we get all liars queen lilioukalani will not permit lieing in our kingdom.
you no think iwas mad about all of this you sit on th throne of the queen wo called me o be queen and you stay sueing the church this is wher my aunty queen lloukalani useto o to she nevr did sue no one ormake ankid to people , she forgave setteleit with hoponoponoso when we going hoponopono on my stuffs that belong to my family and i.
aunty kawannakoa i am the realqueen you sitting in my seat and all others of our royal behalf why sue i never in my life sue no one and you say god and abou money it looks like about money , my aunty is kapiolani you one caroline wilson branch and gilman is the real kinsmen campbell you are not and my uncle is david kalaukaua you aint your husband is kawannakoa and you folks took what no belong to you folksad you queintan tell me you know my mom when i call o you do not know who i am an have election and sell u out with oha and evry thing come on you think idid not know this i did, and my mom ws the very person who told m no say anything and all you folkswas in it for the money, arent we all so no use god because he watching you i amyour real family to take from me that is hewa.
i went to take picture of myfamiy kane there and went to visit al my family there in the grave yard hat one day the disput abot burials and the gave quarrel e all of family who is buried there at that grave yard it is an hitorical site because the stones was carried there from the ocean ,i feel yu go to that chrch and now yo folks like money of it because the burial site it is good to hoponpono sue the peoplei no can.
Replies
i rarely have much in common with our sistah TINA, however i call this shot with her, concerning the suit. have we become Greedy like the western americans going after the money??? I agree with TINA that Ho'oponopono to settle a wrong and to set things right is the native hawaiian values way of life for us the kanaka maoli's, that is what our true kupuna kahiko (ancestors) taught us and have we forgotten the ways of our ancestors???
there is more value than the american values, by being good examples to our next generation to come. if our Queen wanted greed she would like all of agree to your same actions, however she seen fit what was best for us the next generation and held back to do what was right (being PONO).
my many Blessings to the leaders in your village to take the proper step and guide your people the kanaka maoli's to hold the honor and respect of our native hawaiian values.
mahalo Ke Akua and rely on him, not on the american dollar their greed ways
until we all meet in unity
malama kou kino (take care of your body)..........................~da princess~
That is one thing that I don't like about some people who purport to be "religious." Often some of them are THE most pilau, self-righteous, anti-Christ/anti-God-like people I have ever met so it does not surprise me that Kawaiahao Church is clouded in another drama.