Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 8, 1 August 2023 — Page 31 Advertisements Column 1 [ADVERTISEMENT]

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OHA to Host Federal Consultation to Heip Protect Culturai Objects

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) will host a consultation session of the U.S. Department of the lnterior (DOI) andthe U.S. Department of State seeking input from the Native Hawaiian community on the development of regulations to implement the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act (STOP Act). The STOP Act directs the DOI, in coordination with the |departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security, to regulate export of Native cultural items and facilitate voluntary repatriation of Native American and Hawaiian human remains and cultural items from overseas back to Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations in the U.S. The passage of this Act is crucial to protect against the export of cultural objects obtained in violation offederal laws, the Native American Graves Repatriation Act, or the Archaeological Resources Protection Act. ^"We are in a special position as one of four locations where these consultations are occurring before the rules are being written," said OHA lnterim Ka Pouhana/CEO Oolin Kippen. "We need to have our Native Hawaiian organizations, and community members with an interest and background in these issues, attend and engage at this event." OHA acts as an advocate for Native Hawaiians at the federal, state and county levels. Participation in federal consultation is an important advocacy tool used to ensure Kānaka Maoli perspectives are considered in the federal law making and implementation processes.