Cook Islands values and epistemologies in biological anthropology research: Case studies of historic human skeletal collections. Young, C. D. 2025. Publisher: Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies![Cook Islands values and epistemologies in biological anthropology research: Case studies of historic human skeletal collections [link]](https://bibbase.org/img/filetypes/link.svg "link")
Paper abstract bibtex The Cook Islands has been a popular site for archaeological digs and excavations in past decades as biological anthropologists seek to better understand the migration of ancestral Polynesians out of Southeast Asia and the Polynesian colonisation of the Pacific Ocean. As a result of these excavations, several historic human skeletal collections exist of Cook Islands kōivi tangata (ancestral remains), although these are largely unknown because they are not displayed publicly and remain in storage. It is imperative that Cook Islands communities become aware of these so that they have the power and autonomy to decide what they want to do with their ancestors. This paper reflects on two case studies where Cook Islands values, principles, and processes were used to engage with historic human skeletal collections. Firstly, I discuss how the Tīvaevae methodology was used to reconstruct the identities of human skeletal remains that were part of a historic anatomical skeletal collection. Although these remains were of South Asian ancestry, and not kōivi tangata, the Tīvaevae methodology promoted an environment of respect where the cultural identities of the remains could be discussed. Secondly, I reflect on how the Cook Islands values of community, collaboration, and connection were essential for driving the repatriation of 142 Mangaian kōivi tangata back to Mangaia after four decades of being displaced. These case studies demonstrate the value of Cook Islands cultures and processes in advancing the field of biological anthropology. In turn, it is the duty and responsibility of biological anthropologists to assist, empower, and advance Cook Islands communities.
@article{young_cook_2025,
title = {Cook {Islands} values and epistemologies in biological anthropology research: {Case} studies of historic human skeletal collections},
issn = {2463-641X},
shorttitle = {Cook {Islands} values and epistemologies in biological anthropology research},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10092/108842},
abstract = {The Cook Islands has been a popular site for archaeological digs and excavations in past decades as biological anthropologists seek to better understand the migration of ancestral Polynesians out of Southeast Asia and the Polynesian colonisation of the Pacific Ocean. As a result of these excavations, several historic human skeletal collections exist of Cook Islands kōivi tangata (ancestral remains), although these are largely unknown because they are not displayed publicly and remain in storage. It is imperative that Cook Islands communities become aware of these so that they have the power and autonomy to decide what they want to do with their ancestors. This paper reflects on two case studies where Cook Islands values, principles, and processes were used to engage with historic human skeletal collections. Firstly, I discuss how the Tīvaevae methodology was used to reconstruct the identities of human skeletal remains that were part of a historic anatomical skeletal collection. Although these remains were of South Asian ancestry, and not kōivi tangata, the Tīvaevae methodology promoted an environment of respect where the cultural identities of the remains could be discussed. Secondly, I reflect on how the Cook Islands values of community, collaboration, and connection were essential for driving the repatriation of 142 Mangaian kōivi tangata back to Mangaia after four decades of being displaced. These case studies demonstrate the value of Cook Islands cultures and processes in advancing the field of biological anthropology. In turn, it is the duty and responsibility of biological anthropologists to assist, empower, and advance Cook Islands communities.},
language = {en},
urldate = {2025-08-17},
author = {Young, Cameron D.},
year = {2025},
note = {Publisher: Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies},
}
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As a result of these excavations, several historic human skeletal collections exist of Cook Islands kōivi tangata (ancestral remains), although these are largely unknown because they are not displayed publicly and remain in storage. It is imperative that Cook Islands communities become aware of these so that they have the power and autonomy to decide what they want to do with their ancestors. This paper reflects on two case studies where Cook Islands values, principles, and processes were used to engage with historic human skeletal collections. Firstly, I discuss how the Tīvaevae methodology was used to reconstruct the identities of human skeletal remains that were part of a historic anatomical skeletal collection. Although these remains were of South Asian ancestry, and not kōivi tangata, the Tīvaevae methodology promoted an environment of respect where the cultural identities of the remains could be discussed. Secondly, I reflect on how the Cook Islands values of community, collaboration, and connection were essential for driving the repatriation of 142 Mangaian kōivi tangata back to Mangaia after four decades of being displaced. These case studies demonstrate the value of Cook Islands cultures and processes in advancing the field of biological anthropology. 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