Sen. Brian Schatz Leads Roundtable on Repatriation of Native Hawaiian Cultural Items
Date: September 3, 2026, 11:00 AM HST
US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, recently helmed a roundtable discussion focusing on the repatriation of Native Hawaiian ancestral remains and cultural items under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The discussion aimed to explore ways to enhance the law’s implementation in Hawaii.
Sen. Schatz highlighted a significant increase in compliance from museums and institutions regarding federal repatriation laws. “We’ve seen a significant uptick in efforts by museums and institutions to comply with federal law,” he noted. However, he acknowledged that more work remains to be done to strengthen the law and expedite repatriation efforts.
The roundtable featured key participants, including:
- Kaiali‘i Kahele, Chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs
- Dr. Kristofer Helgen, President and CEO of the Bishop Museum
- Dr. Halena Kapuni-Reynolds, Associate Curator of Native Hawaiian History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian
- Dr. Kamanamaikalani Beamer, Dean at the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge
- Dr. Kēhaunani Abad, Vice President of Uluhiwa Strategy at Kamehameha Schools
Since 2023, Senator Schatz has actively engaged with over 70 institutions holding large NAGPRA collections to ensure compliance, resulting in a remarkable 400% increase in notices of intent for repatriation.
Looking ahead, Schatz is proposing new legislation aimed at fortifying NAGPRA, including enhancing relationships between museums and communities, improving compliance and enforcement, and securing funding for these initiatives.
