Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 8, 1 August 2006 — Page 27 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

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Call 808-847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org for more information. Bishop Museum 1525 Bernice St. Honolulu, HI 96817

PUBLIC APOLOGY

I wish to publicly apologize for desecrating and attempting to sell the ancestral remains of Native Hawaiians. As a teenager, I removed these remains from a burial site located on the lsland of maui, and then took them to the mainland. In 2004, I attempted to unlawfully sell the remains on the internet. I was caught when a member of the Hui Malama I Na Kapuna O Hawaii Nei saw my offer on the internet and notified authorities. The remains were later recovered by an undercover agent with the Bureau of lndian Affairs. As a result of my actions, I was charged with a violation of the federal Archaeological Resources Protection Act. In 2005, I pleaded guilty to that charge and am now a convicted felon. The remains have been returned to the lsland of Maui. The State of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Division, is currently working with several Native Hawaiian groups, including the Maui/Lanai lslands Burial Council, the Daughters and Sons of the Hawaiian WarriorsMamakakaua, and the Hui Malama I Na Kapuna O Hawaii Nei, to re-inter the remains at an appropriate site on that island. My actions were wrong and insensitive to the culture and feelings of Native Hawaiians. I am truly sorry for my offending actions. I hope that others will learn from my experience and will be deterred from unlawfully disturbing, removing, or trafficking in the ancestral remains and cultural artifacts of Native Hawaiians. I also hope that you will accept my apology. Sincerely, Jerry David Hasson (This statement was approved by the United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California)