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Descendants clash over Royal Mausoleum working group; OHA seeks formal seat
Summary
SB 3247 SD1 prompted split testimony: descendant groups urged the Legislature not to supplant long-standing kahu protocols, while other descendants and OHA supported a statutorily constituted working group to address stewardship and selection issues at Mauna'ala.
The committee heard hours of testimony on SB 3247 SD1, a bill to establish a Royal Mausoleum working group under DLNR. Alyssa Kaul, deputy attorney general, told the panel the department provided comments and four major concerns in the current draft, including potential structural conflicts if the working group sits within DLNR while the commission is described as independent.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) told the committee it supports being included in the working group. "The board of trustees did discuss it and received some testimony from beneficiaries," OHA's representative said, summarizing OHA's position that beneficiary input supported OHA's backing.
Testimony from lineal descendants and cultural groups was sharply divided. Representatives of the Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors (Mama Kekawa) urged the committee not to advance the bill, calling it legislative overreach that would undercut customary kahu authority. "The real problem is that in 2024, the DLNR selection committee did not follow the traditional and proven process used when they were finding a replacement for Kai Ma'ohu," a witness said, arguing that restoring the kahu's role should precede any new statutory regime.
Other descendants such as Quentin Kalanunakor and James Mayoho said a working group could formalize involvement for those with genealogical and cultural ties and provide a venue for inclusive discussion after a rushed hiring process in 2024. The committee probed whether amending SB 3247 to add OHA as a formal member would be objectionable; DLNR said it did not object.
The chair deferred final action on SB 3247 to later in the week to allow more time for negotiation on language and membership; several witnesses asked the committee to prioritize restoring customary protocols for selecting the kahu before imposing a large statutory structure.
