Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 3, 1 March 2006 — ‘A cultural resource of the highest possible order’ [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

‘A cultural resource of the highest possible order’

Study doubles number of known archaeological sites in Waimea By Derek Ferrar Public lnformation Specialist In 2003, after the City and County of Honolulu awarded a lease to the National Audubon Society to operate an environmental visitor center at Waimea Valley, OHA's Board of Trustees awarded a $500,000 grant to the center, in part to fund an updated cultural and archaeological survey of the valley's many sites. Audubon contracted the well-known firm Archaeological Consultants of the Pacific (ACP) to conduct the assessment, whieh included eompiling information from a wide variety of historieal sources, as well as conducting oral history interviews. "For the first time, we gathered all the infor-

mation that is known about Waimea, from widespread, difficult to obtain sources" says ACP Principle Investigator Ioseph Kennedy. "What we did was a modest contribution, building on what others had done and putting the information together. We've made progress, but there's still a long, long way to go." When Kennedy released his report in May, the study identified 78 known surface sites of interest (see map) - more than double the number found by the most comprehensive previous review, whieh was conducted by Bishop Museum in 1974. Even more importantly, Kennedy says, is the discovery that some 80 percent of the valley has never even been examined for archaeological sites because access is so difficult in the steep terrain. In addition, he says, it is likely that many of Waimea's historical sites lie buried underground, given the valley's history of flooding and erosion from the cliffs. "There is more

that remains unknown in Waimea than we ean imagine," he says. The assessment also calls for a number of measures for the preservation, protection and interpretation of Waimea's sites, including: • Development of a preservation plan that would divide the valley's sites into categories of significance carrying specific preservation and maintenance protocols. • Development of a burial treatment plan for burial sites now known, along with any that may be discovered in the future, and restriction of public access to areas containing burials. • A thorough survey and updated mapping of the valley's sites. • An archeological review of interpretive materials used at publicly accessible sites. • Future excavation and dating of appropriate sites. • Integration of public education and participation programs into study of appropriate sites. "In sum," reads the report, "Waimea Valley is a cultural resource of the highest possible order ... There is no plaee quite like Waimea Valley on the island of O'ahu, and very few places in the entire archipelago ean equal it in terms of its religious associations, its preservation, or its potential for answering many questions about traditional Hawai'i. It is deserving of the utmost care and protection, and this ean be achieved only through recognition and careful planning." S

This map shows the Waimea sites identified in the recent assessment by Archaeological Consultants of the Pacific. However, some 80 percenf of fhe rugged valley has never been surveyed for surface sifes, says the study's author, and many more features likely lie hidden underground. - Map adaptation: loe LeMonniep based on onpinai by loe Kennedy