Department of Land and Natural Resources
Molokai Island Burial Council
What This Council Does
The Molokai Island Burial Council advises the State Historic Preservation Division on the treatment, protection, and appropriate disposition of Native Hawaiian burial sites and skeletal remains discovered on Molokai under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 6E. It reviews inadvertent discovery cases, evaluates the cultural and lineal significance of burial sites, and recommends treatment decisions. The council's work affects land development, construction, and cultural preservation on an island with one of Hawaii's highest concentrations of Native Hawaiian population.
Why You Should Care
Molokai's strong Native Hawaiian community has a direct stake in this council's decisions; anyone undertaking ground disturbance on Molokai must follow burial site protocols the council helps oversee.