A masonry contractor yesterday filed a sealed affidavit in federal court that details how he sealed shut a cave in Kawaihae believed to house priceless cultural objects placed there by Hui Malama I Na Kupuna 'O Hawai'i Nei.

Alan Murakami, a Hui Malama attorney, said the Native Hawaiian organization chose to keep the filing shielded from the public because "certain facts disclosed might show where the locations of the various items are and the court has agreed with us that kind of information can be put under seal."

Hui Malama leaders said 83 objects loaned to the group by the Bishop Museum in 2000 were placed in two caves in what's known as the Kawaihae Caves complex. George W. Field III headed up the sealing of Forbes Cave with concrete and steel. The other, Murakami said, also was sealed although he has declined to say how.

One hundred years ago, the objects, known as the Forbes Collection, were removed from Big Island caves by Westerners and eventually conveyed to the museum. Hui Malama members maintain that the objects were looted and that the group has now returned them to their proper place.

Two other Native Hawaiian organizations sued Bishop Museum and Hui Malama in August for the return of the objects, noting that they and a number of other groups were in the process of deciding what should happen with the items when they were taken from the museum.

U.S. District Judge David Ezra had set yesterday as the deadline for Field to submit details about the materials, equipment and process he used to seal a cave at the behest of Hui Malama.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Ginoza said yesterday that the investigative division of that state office is providing security for the caves, which are on lands owned by the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. She declined to provide specifics.

As recently as two weeks ago, DHHL Director Micah Kane said members of his staff were in charge of security at the site.

On Tuesday, Hui Malama executive director Edward Halealoha Ayau was ordered jailed for contempt of court for failing to disclose the precise locations of the objects. Ezra said he will stay in custody until he or others make such disclosure, or when all the items are returned to the museum.

Hui Malama officials say it would go against their religion to disclose information that would lead to the removal of what they consider to be funerary objects from burial sites. Their opponents counter that Hui Malama's view of Native Hawaiian religion is not the only one and that there are other options for the objects' final resting place.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.