On February 14, two Native Hawaiian ancestors whose remains were taken from the Kingdom of Hawai’i around 150 years ago are being repatriated. These two iwi kūpuna will finally return home with a delegation from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
The delegation has traveled through Germany and now Austria to gather the remains of their ancestors from five institutions, including the NhM Naturhistorisches Museum Wien. In a solemn ceremony at the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs delegation gathered two iwi kūpuna to repatriate and return to their rightful resting place.
The United States government supports the effort of Native Hawaiians to repatriate their ancestors, and stands ready to facilitate ongoing international efforts to this end. Collaborating with our partners, in Austria and across the globe, makes it possible to recognize the vital importance of cultural traditions and people’s connections to their past. We are grateful to Austria for its support of these efforts!
