"Setting the Record Straight" for Cachola-Abad and Ayau

Abstract

In their article, "He Pane Ho'omalamalama: Setting the Record Straight and a Second Call for Partnership," published in Volume 7 (1999) of Hawaiian Archaeology (73-82), C. Kehaunani Cachola-Abad and Edward Halealoha Ayau accuse me of violating HRS sections §6E-11 and 12 as they pertain to the handling of burials. Their article, while dealing with a host of other concerns, devoted considerable attention to this issue. Their complaint centers on the recovery and analysis of inadvertently discovered human remains at the corner of Pi 'ikoi Street and Kapi'olani Boulevard in Honolulu in early 1994 (hereafter referred to as the Pi 'ikoi case, or just case). The work was done by my organization, International Archaeological Research Institute, Inc. (IARII). Cachola-Abad and Ayau believe that recovery of the skeletal remains and subsequent osteological analysis were performed without authorization, and also that a radiocarbon date on a sample of bone was obtained in violation of the law. As indicated in their article, Mike Wilson, former Chairman of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), refused to prosecute IARII or me for these alleged violations, and also the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology (SHA) did not take action against me for the supposed 'defiance' of its code of conduct. Although Cachola-Abad and Ayau indicated strong displeasure with the inaction of Wilson and SHA, their inaction is hardly surprising considering there was no legal transgression or any professional or ethical misconduct. The legal issue, in short, is nonsense, and the misconduct charge has no conceivable basis.