Abstract
Hawai‘i struggles with many issues confronting heritage management programs globally. While some State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) regularly engage in long-term planning and public outreach, the Hawai‘i SHPO often struggles with regulatory backlogs, staff reductions, and frequent staff turn-over. Nevertheless, grass roots efforts to better manage Hawaiian cultural sites are becoming more prevalent. We summarize key trends that have affected Cultural Resource Management (CRM) in Hawai‘i since the 1960s and address how the relationships between CRM professionals and indigenous communities have transformed over that time. One of the largest obstacles to the decolonization of heritage management in Hawai‘i has been the under-representation of CRM professionals from descendant communities. A contributing factor is a common perception that CRM (as it is often manifested in archaeological studies prior to development) is antithetical to Hawaiian values. A second factor is that state regulations require principal investigators in CRM firms to obtain graduate degrees in anthropology or closely related fields, but opportunities for graduate training in Hawai‘i are limited. Here, we make the case that community-based archaeology is a vital aspect of Hawaiian cultural revitalization, and that the extension of graduate programs in heritage management to predominantly indigenous communities is essential to decolonization efforts.
Highlights
In 1935 the Historic Sites Act established a new category of historic properties in the United States known as National Historic Landmarks (NHLs)
One of the seven National Historic Landmarks on Hawai‘i Island is Mo‘okini Heiau, which is a monumental Native Hawaiian stone ritual site associated with the famous voyager Pa‘ao, who arrived in Hawai‘i many generations before Captain Cook reached the islands in 1778
A number of recent developments demonstrate substantial indigenous engagement within archaeology and heritage management in general, and here we focus on some of the positive changes taking place in Hawai‘i. To contextualize the current situation, we review some of the major transformations that Hawaiian heritage management has undergone since the 1960s
Summary
In 1935 the Historic Sites Act established a new category of historic properties in the United States known as National Historic Landmarks (NHLs). This designation was intended to provide stewardship and funding for historic properties of special significance across the nation, and NHLs remain a highly significant part of US federal historic preservation efforts. The illusion of timelessness in the sparsely inhabited landscape is only interrupted by the presence of a single bronze plaque mounted on a small boulder outside the heiau entrance. It is embossed as follows: MOOKINI HEIAU.
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