Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 7, 1 July 1987 — 'Ewa Area's lmportance Cited [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

'Ewa Area's lmportance Cited

Archaeologists Find Barbers Point Unique

By Earl (Buddy) Neller Cultural Specialist The Barbers Point Harbor Archaeological District is unique. There is no other site like it on the Hawaii Register of Historic Places or the Nahonal Register. It is a limestone plain. Some places have so many sinkhole caves they look like a papamu. There are also house sites, fishing camps, burial caves and sunken garden areas. And there are unusual heiau sites whieh reflect the unique character and lifestyle of this portion of the 'Ewa plain whieh was known in the old days as Waimanalo. These heiau sites are small, highly individualistic places of worship built and used by the maka'ainana of the area. None of these religious sites were identified by the archaeologists during their field surveys. The only fishing shrine in the District was destroyed duringconstruction of the deep draft harbor. The other shrines will be destroyed by the construction of the marina for the West Beach project.

The 'Ewa area is very important in ancient Hawaiian history. It is the plaee whieh Hawaiians remember as the home of the first people who landed on O'ahu. These original settlers were called the 'olohe, and because of the many sinkhole caves in the area, it was sometimes referred to as "kalua'olohe." It was known as the area where the o'o, i'iwi and other Hawaiian birds were caught, as they eame to 'Ewa every year when the noni fruit ripened. When the season was over, they returned to the mountains.

The Lanikahonua area was known as ko'olina, and was the vacationing plaee for the chief Kakuhihewa. A priest named Napuaikama'o was the caretaker of the plaee. Pu'u O Kapolei was one of the most famous hills in the old days. lt was the home of Kamaunuaniho, the grandmother of Kamapua'a, and was the location of the royal court after he conquered O'ahu. Because of the development of the 'Ewa plain for agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial and military uses, there are few ancient Hawaiian sites remaining.

The Barbers Point Harbor Archaeological District survives as a tangible reminder of the time when 'Ewa played an important role in Hawaii's history. The Barbers Point Harbor Archaeological District was discovered by archaeologists during surveys done in 1975 and 1976. The surveys were sponsored by the Corps of Engineers for the deep draft harbor project. ' Following federal procedures required by the Nahonal Historic Preservation Act, the District was "determined 1 eligible for the Nahonal Register"; but it was never actually nominated and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Yet, the area is so significant that it should be designated a National Historic Landmark. This could still be done, if Hawaiians showed an interest in the site, and wrote to the National Park Service and the State Hisi toric Preservation Office.

Fish hook made from shell found af a fishing shrine destroyed during Barbers Point Harbor construction.

Sinkhole cave containing bones of extinct Hawaiian birds. This is one of many archaeological sites destroyed by Barbers Point Harbor construction.

An ahu or rock eaim with a little cave below it are another example of destruction in the development of manna at West Beach.