Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 9, 1 November 1984 — Interesting Historic Conclusions Revealed [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Interesting Historic Conclusions Revealed

Erosion at Kualoa Park has been among the ongoing problems in historic preservation and archaeological salvage. During the past summer, the University of Hawaii Department of Anthropology eonducted its field school at Kualoa. Under the guidance and instruction of Prof. Mathew Spriggs and Jo Lynn Gunness of theCity and County of Honolulu, students undertook excavations along the park shoreline. The historical importance of the Kualoa Ahupua'a in oral tradition is now being substantiated by artifacts salvaged from the best pit sites.

The excavations have led to some preliminary eonclusions about Kualoa. Indications are that the resident Hawaiians of the time were engaged in varied activities such as adze-making, fishing and recreation. The numerous imu and firepits uncovered and grave sites indicate a large, stable and vigorous human popu!ation. Gunness believes that mueh of the present Kualoa shoreline is artificial, constructed and maintained by the early Hawaiians. Erosion is merely the process by whieh the sea is reclaiming the soil taken by man. In such a process, however, several interestingstructures have revealed themselves, including at least two house sites and a possible temple constructed of coral heads.

On another front, the existence of stone terraces at Luluku in Kaneohe has been brought to the public's attention by members of the Kaneohe Historical Society. Located next to the entrance of the Wilson Tunnel, the terraces cover approximately 25 acres. In a preliminary assessment by Spriggs, the terraces may be on the largest of its kind on Oahu, indicating possibly an extensive field system in use during prehistoric and historic times. Some of the terraces rise to a height of 10 feet. Since the complex is situated on or near the proposed H-3 interchange. the society is requesting the State Department ofTransportation to investigatethe matter.

These are test pits at the Kualoa Regional Park whieh were excavated by the University of Hawaii field school students. Cultural remains of historical value are excavated from these pits.

These historic stones and what appears to be terracing are found in the Luluku area of Kaneohe. Historic preservation proponents have eome out loud and clear they'd like a study of the flndings.