Golden State Today

Native Hawaiians have successfully completed the largest repatriation of cultural items in Hawaiian history from UC Berkeley, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to return sacred objects to their Indigenous homelands. Mana Cáceres, a Native Hawaiian repatriation specialist, expressed his satisfaction with the collaborative process, stating, "It was really refreshing to work with people who recognize the healing that could be done for everybody in the room — not just on our side."

The repatriation effort involved the return of 335 items, including 34 sacred objects, back to Hawaii from the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Kalehua Cáceres, a repatriation colleague, highlighted the importance of this moment, emphasizing how welcomed and comfortable she felt during the inspection of the items at Berkeley.

The partnership between Native Hawaiians and Berkeley reflects a shift towards more respectful and consultative practices in repatriation processes. Edward Halealoha Ayau, a key figure in advocating for repatriation projects, noted the improvement in how Native Hawaiians were consulted and respected during this recent repatriation effort. Halealoha stated, "We were finally heard as Indigenous human beings."

Berkeley officials acknowledged past wrongs and expressed their commitment to repairing relationships with Indigenous communities. Sabrina Agarwal, a professor at UC Berkeley, stated, "We hope that this is a demonstration of our commitment, that it's something that we're willing to work at as long as we need to in order to acknowledge the harm that we've done."

The successful repatriation was a collaborative effort that involved meticulous inventory verification and careful transport of the items to Hawaii. Alexandra Lucas, overseeing Berkeley's repatriation program, described the profound experience of assisting in the repatriation process, noting the honor in returning culturally significant belongings to their rightful place.

Mana Cáceres expressed the positive impact of the repatriation, stating, "Everything just seemed like everything was put back where it was supposed to be. The world just felt like it was in a more natural state." Native Hawaiians have since been examining the returned items and working towards reintegrating them into various locations throughout the islands.

The significance of this repatriation effort extends beyond the return of cultural items, emphasizing a shift in perspective towards cultural heritage and the importance of respectful collaborations. Halealoha highlighted the importance of reconciliation and shared humanity in the process, noting that "This achievement led to a shared humanity of sorts and the respectful return of several Hawaiian cultural items."

Mana Cáceres hopes that this effort sets a precedent for other institutions to follow suit in repatriating Indigenous remains and cultural objects. He emphasized the need for bravery in doing what is right, stating, "What we did wasn't the norm. But it should be. And it can be. It just takes people to be in positions of authority to kind of be brave enough to say, 'This is what's right, and this is what we're going to do.'"