On this page we want to explain a bit about the research we are undertaking. This is a project that practices Community Based Participatory Research meaning that we have a bunch of things we are interested in and we put those ideas on the shelf and instead ask people who live in Hawaii what they want us and you (the students) to do. If it's organizing an exhibit at the school, then we are working at the school; and if it means spending time cleaning and repairing the fishpond, then yes it'll be the case!
Here is a link to a GIS project Dr Connell created last year that may help you orient yourself. It works well as an app on the phone. I also embedded it below.
Starting Aug 1st at the beginning of the program we will be living in the town of Waimea on the HPA property. It's a good central location from which to orient ourselves to the island and meet the people we will be working with.
The first days of the project we will be in the Hamakua District working directly with No'eau Peralto and helping him kuleana on the lands that he is trying to revitalize. He has so many different projects going on that at this point, we are unsure exactly what projects we will be helping with. He lives in Pa'auilo village which was part of a major sugar plantation near to Honoka'a town. There are many people who we want to meet here as we begin to participate in research. Remember that specifically what we will be doing on any day is not clear until we arrive and show our willingness to help with their research. The website for Hui-MAU is a great tool to orient yourself, please watch that opening video on their website, it summarizes everything. Here are a few things we could be doing with Hui-MAU: Identifying invasive plants species and weeding them; mapping archaeological features on the landscape that are being exposed as the invasive species are removed; researching historical documentation about the sugar plantation; interviewing local folks who share the lived experience of the plantation; and of course plant native Ulu trees and kalo (taro). These are just a few of many things we could do, as we will have the Ground-penetrating radar with us, maybe there are questions No'eau can answer with the instrumentation.
We are working with Ruth Loke Aloua who has been tied into the local communities at Kaloko fishpond for quite some time. She says that the community is doing amazing work catapulting change and rehabilitation of the area. The National Park Service has recently posted an excellent article on Kaloko-Honokohau.
The park website is here. There are so many things we could do at the fishponds!
Learn how the traditional fish pond can provide future fresh food and water for the people of Kona
Monitor the health of the native fish populations and contribute to scientific documentation of the fish pond ecosystem
Understand the history of water disputes and its impact on the fish pond and surrounding land
Ground check and revise archaeological maps of the park.
Here is what Loke envisions from the program:
"Community/Indigenous Archaeology - I'm imagining that the course (especially with hands on mapping) should pull in community early on. I think folks would be supportive and highly interested in the work that would unfold. Potentials of community collaboration could happen as an entry lunch w/talk story, introduction to Hawaiian anthropology/archaeology, cultural sensitivity and familiarity, closing presentation, and more. If there will be hands on projects dealing with the physical mapping of kahua hulikoehana then engaging the community should happen as soon as we have an idea of the project to be taken on. The project I imagine would have overlapping interests of the community, park, and university. A huge community consideration will be 1) cultural sensitivity, 2) place based appropriate, and 3) relationship to fulfillment of Spirit Report. If there was an interest and want to map archaeological sites recently opened it would be interesting to explore how the production of these maps could support future care, outreach, and education of the place.
I'm looking forward to the ideas to be shared and moving forward like a group of fish in the pond!"
As you can see the research we will be undertaking is based upon what the community envisions is important for the continued care and use of the Kaloko Fishpond.
We are fortunate to have friends who have invited us to participate at their gardens in this famous valley where Hawaiians practice taro farming and try to preserve that way of living. We will be helping in the fields and helping in whatever way possible. Things we can do with the people in Waipio Valley include learning about Umi and his legacy, as well as about the history of water disputes and its impact on the kalo farms and surrounding land. And in terms of our participation, we can provide hands on labor to cultivate the taro field and crop, and document and map taro fields to track anthropological and ecological changes over time.
Why this type of field school and not the traditional excavation-based field program?
Watch this presentation that we gave on changing the way archaeology is presented to the public and taught to students.
The Hawaii section begins around the 39th minute, but it is all good. https://youtu.be/13sgfLqRmLo?si=isiLHffTLKYHX06d
Youtube presentation by Mike and Sam at the Santa Cruz Archaeology Society Meetings
I made the above web GIS presentation (storymap) that may help you situate yourselves on the island. (It is from last year but still works)