Disputed Hawaiian artifacts from a Big Island cave complex have been fully accounted for and are in good condition, claimants to the items and Bishop Museum officials said.

Claimants yesterday had their first chance to see the items since they were retrieved from the caves under court order last year and turned over to the museum.

The lengthy dispute over what should be done with the 83 sets of artifacts could be settled by late this year — or may never be fully resolved, in which case they would remain with the museum, officials said following the viewing.

"They're unscathed, in perfect condition, which I expected them to be," said La'akea Suganuma, head of the Royal Hawaiian Academy of Traditional Arts, one of the 14 claimants.

The items "have been cleaned and fumigated so they will no longer be at risk for any kind of insect damage, and are stored in a very safe place," said Betty Lou Kam, the Bishop Museum's vice president of cultural resources.

The full accounting should vindicate Hui Malama I Na Kupuna o Hawai'i Nei from suspicion that it had not properly cared for the items, or had not really returned them to the caves, as some claimants had alleged, said hui member William Aila.

"This is an affirmation of what we originally said — that all the items were put back," he said. "Every object we said was there, was there."

REMOVED IN 1905

The artifacts are believed to have been originally placed in the caves by Hawaiians more than a century ago. They were removed in 1905 by a group known as the Forbes Expedition, which sold them to the Bishop Museum.

Hui Malama — which believes the artifacts are moepu, or burial items, that should never have been disturbed — borrowed them from the museum in 2000 and returned them to the caves without the museum's authorization.

Other claimants sued Hui Malama and the museum in 2005, and a federal court ruled that the items must be turned over to the museum while a repatriation process proceeds.

Hui Malama initially refused to disclose their location, arguing that it would be culturally offensive to disturb them. The group's leader, Edward Halealaoha Ayau, was found in contempt of federal court and jailed for three weeks — sparking an uproar among some Hawaiians. He was later released to facilitate mediation hearings.

The claimants — and any new ones who come forward — will now have the chance to argue for custody of the items, and the museum will decide whether any claim outweighs all the others.

If not, the museum will keep the items, unless all the claimants can jointly agree on what should be done with them, said museum director William Brown.

"The museum will very thoughtfully look at the evidence, and if a preponderance clearly demonstrates that one of the claimants is the most appropriate, the artifacts will be repatriated to them," Brown said.

That claimant would be free to return the items to the caves, display them, sell them or keep them as personal possessions, he said.

"They could even burn them if they want because they thought they were heathen, but I doubt that any of the current claimants would do that," Brown said.

ITEMS CHERISHED

The items are among the most cherished Hawaiian cultural items known to exist and include a famous wooden female figure and several renowned stick 'aumakua, or family deities.

Trisha Kehaulani Watson, executive director of the group Kako'o 'Oiwi, said she had declined the opportunity to see the artifacts yesterday.

"I refused to view them," she said. "I think it's inappropriate to view these items, and I think we show respect for them by not viewing them."

She said her greatest fear is that the artifacts would be sold to collectors and become personal possessions.

"They are essentially priceless and would be worth a great deal on the open market," she said.

Brown said the museum is not precluded from displaying the items in the meantime, but that there are no current plans to do so.

"I personally think they are of great educational value," he said. "They are rare, and it is a good thing for people to be able to see them and learn about them."

He said he was greatly relieved that the items had been fully accounted for. If they had not been removed from the caves, they could have been damaged by the earthquakes that jolted the Big Island in October, and would certainly have been damaged by insects eventually, he said. Some objects had been covered with silverfish when they were recovered, he said.

The museum did not allow news organizations to photograph or film the artifacts yesterday.

STATUS DISPUTED

There is some debate among museum staff and some claimants as to whether any or all of the artifacts were funerary objects buried with human remains. Some believe they are cultural objects hidden for safe-keeping, perhaps after the Hawaiian kapu system of laws was abolished in 1819.

Aila, of Hui Malama, said his group has no doubt that the items are funerary. A claimant who argues they are not would essentially undermine his own claim, since claims are made under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, he said.

Brown said he believes the debate is legitimate but had not personally concluded whether the items are funerary. He said the Bishop Museum is taking the position that they are, so as to remain consistent with its earlier determination and move forward with the repatriation process.

The final decision will involve several steps, including recommendations from the museum's staff, president, collections committee, executive committee and full board of directors.

Aila said Hui Malama "would feel more comfortable if an objective third party were to make the determination, but we have to work within the process the law allows."

The museum is asking all claimants to submit information related to their claims by March 1. The museum would then notify the National Park Service and request that an official notice be published, then make a determination within 90 days.

Brown said the process could be completed by late this year if the notice is published quickly, but that there could be delays.

Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com.