Mokapu and Heleloa

For many Native Hawaiians, the question of which is the largest Hawaiian burial site disturbance leads to a quick response, “Honokahua.” However, the largest pre-contact Native Hawaiian burial removal occurred on the island of O`ahu at Mokapu and Heleloa which comprises portions of the ahupua`a of He`eia and Kane`ohe. Following the intentional removal of ancestral remains by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and the University of Hawai`i Department of Anthropology, and following the inadvertent discovery of additional ancestors over the years, the skeletal remains and burial objects of approximately 1,600 ancestral Native Hawaiians were disturbed and removed from Mokapu and Heleloa and are currently stored at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.

The purpose of this vignette is to share the story of the largest eviction of Native Hawaiian ancestors in the modern era by discussing the events that took place, i.e. disinterment, recovery, dates each event took place, history of land tenure from the time of the Mahele, identification of those individuals and entities responsible for removal and recovery, and the motivations, applicable laws, cultural implications, lack of notice, consultation and consent from living Native Hawaiians:

“If there is anything Native Hawaiians will come to know it’s eviction. They evict us when we’re alive, they evict us when we’re dead. We are never safe. Our responsibility is to protect our sense of place.” - Punahele Lerma

Land Tenure in the Peninsula: He`eia and Kane`ohe Ahupua

Following the Mahele, Mokapu Peninsula was kept as Crown Lands. Ko`olaupoko District Chief Abner Paki was awarded over 3,000 acres in He`eia ahupua`a (LCA 10613) and Queen Kalama, wife of Kamehameha III was awarded over 9,000 acres in Kane`ohe ahupua`a (LCA 4452). Both awards were given for nearly the entire ahupua`a. Lands situated in the ahupua`a of He`eia awarded to Paki reverted to the Crown following his death in 1856.

Paki’s portion of ili Mokapu was sold at auction to William and John Sumner and included 464 acres. John Sumner became sole owner upon his brother’s death, and left the lands in trust to Robert Wyllie Davis, his nephew. The area was later divided into house lots in 1932 and sold off. In 1940, by Federal Executive Order through the U.S. Navy, all 331 parcels on the 464 acres were condemned and a Declaration of Takings enacted.1 This action occurred ten months following completion of the University of Hawai`i excavations at He`eia

Lands situated in the ahupua`a of Kane`ohe that once belonged to Queen Kalama were purchased by Judge C.C. Harris in 1871 including ili Heleloa. The lands were later inherited by his daughter, Nannie R. Rice. In the late 1800s, some parcels were leased to J.P. Mendoca for cattle ranching. In 1907, James B. Castle bought stock in the ranch which had become known as Kane`ohe Ranch, and by 1917, his son Harold K. Castle had purchased the property from Mrs. Rice. Since 1918, the military controlled portions of ili Kuwa`a`ohe, situated in Kane`ohe ahupua`a, where a camp was established. During World War I the camp was not used. However, in 1939, Camp Kuwa`a`ohe was reactivated. In 1940, access to Mokapu was restricted because the United States was going to build a major naval base and negotiations were ongoing. In 1952, the entire peninsula became part of the Kane`ohe Marine Corps Station and under federal ownership.