Kauaʻi Community College is combining high-tech innovation with cultural preservation, offering five students paid internships while supporting local nonprofit efforts to protect Indigenous data across the island.

These interdisciplinary projects allow students to gain specialized skills, earn academic credit and explore new career pathways through hands-on experience. They are part of the University of Hawaiʻi‘s Office of Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation, which has established several Indigenous Data Hubs (IDH).

In one vital project, students are partnering with the nonprofit I Ola Wailuanui to aid in the restoration of Malaehaʻakoa heiau. Using drone technology, interns created 3D models of the historical site, which are now being used to inform and guide restoration efforts.

“Building pilina (connection) with Malaehaʻakoa and listening to what its needs are for restoration and integration into modern-day functioning has been integral,” said Kauaʻi CC IDH Coordinator Kamalani Chock. “When we interact with the space, we treat the heiau as an ancestor that can help the community cultivate mana (power). What the process of mana cultivation means in the 21st century is what we’re meditating on.”

Digitizing artifacts

A second project involves students digitizing fragile artifacts at Kauaʻi CC’s Kikuchi Center. They are photographing from 360 degrees and transforming those images into a 3D model with an associated texture map, making them accessible for study and public engagement on the .

“I think it’s important to expand the scope of potential career pathways on the island,” Creative Media Program Coordinator Joseph Tremonti said.

“Projects like this allow students to develop skills that can be applied to cultural heritage work, archives, and museum studies—fields where access to fragile materials is often limited. This opens up exciting opportunities for our students.”

Chock, who also teaches agriculture and natural science courses through Nā Pua Noʻeau (a pre-K–college enrichment program), emphasized the importance of connecting education directly to community needs.

“I think the future of education must be holistic,” Chock said. “It can’t be siloed into singular disciplines. Instead, it should recognize how these fields intersect and work together in our communities—especially in ways that support community health and well-being.”

Kikuchi Center, which honors the late archaeologist and Emeritus Professor William “Pila” Kikuchi, is inviting the public to the center鈥檚 first artist showcase. Carol Araki Wyban, will present her book and artwork Tide and Current: Fishponds of Hawaiʻi at 4 p.m. on September 19 in the Learning Resource Center.

The Kikuchi Center鈥檚 opening event will showcase efforts to preserve the legacy of Kikuchi鈥檚 work with fishponds. The art inspired by Kikuchi鈥檚 research has been exhibited at the Bishop Museum and the Volcano Art Center and will now find a permanent home at the Kikuchi Center.

The Kikuchi Collection

Kikuchi鈥檚 career in archaeology and anthropology spanned five decades. Kauaʻi CC Archivist Jason Ford has been leading the efforts to archive and digitize the Kikuchi Collection since 2022. The collection is now partially available online at . These include copies of Kikuchi鈥檚 Archeology on Kauaʻi newsletter and fishpond notes. Ford said his team has been prioritizing materials that are most beneficial to local and Pacific Region researchers, and materials with digital display quality.

“With the Kikuchi Collection containing a variety of multimedia materials, there remains a lot of items to be digitized for inclusion in the online repository,” Ford said. “We have made great progress in getting some of Kikuchi鈥檚 famous and lesser known research online, thus, making the online repository available to the public sooner rather than later. I know the community has been waiting on the repository, in some cases for decades, and so we are excited to be able to offer this now at this time.”

Inspired by Kikuchi

Wyban鈥檚 art highlights the importance of Hawaiian fishponds, which she describes as a vital link to ancient Hawaiian practices of sustainable land and water use. She has worked at maintaining and reviving ancient fishponds across the state, using Kikuchi鈥檚 research as a guidebook.

“Fishponds are a window into ancient Hawaiʻi and how the Hawaiians developed the land and water in a conscious, sustainable manner,” Wyban said. “They are a resource for the future because they can still be revived and used for food production, education and to teach people the importance of working with nature.”

The opening of the Kikuchi Center marks a significant step in making Kikuchi’s work accessible to the public and promoting ongoing education and research on Hawaiian fishponds.

The placed in the nation鈥檚 top 20 in eight subjects, the best performance by 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 flagship institution in the .

Released April 10, QS鈥檚 2024 version of the rankings listed 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa among the nation鈥檚 best in the following categories:

• Linguistics: No. 10 U.S., No. 22 world
• Hospitality and leisure management: No. 15 U.S., No. 46 world
• Anthropology: No. 19 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Modern languages: No. 19 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Geophysics: No. 20 U.S., No. 47 world
• Geology: No. 20 U.S., No. 49 world
• Earth and marine sciences: No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Geography: No. 20 U.S., No. 101–150 world

“These rankings are a testament to the excellence of our faculty and the dedication of our entire staff,” 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa Provost Michael Bruno said. “To the communities that we serve, they affirm that this university represents the very best in scholarship and education. And to our prospective students and their families, the rankings are a strong endorsement of the quality and value of an education from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.&谤诲辩耻辞;

糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa also placed in the nation鈥檚 top 50 in nine additional subjects:

• English language and literature: No. 30 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Archaeology: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 34 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 39 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Sociology: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Politics: No. 44 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 46 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Arts and humanities: No. 47 U.S., No. 210 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 49 U.S., No. 251–300 world

糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa was ranked in four broad subject areas and 24 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (survey responses from academics), employer reputation (survey responses from graduate employers worldwide), research citations per paper (citations data sourced from鈥疎lsevier Scopus), H-index (measures most cited papers and the number of citations) and international research network (reflects ability to diversify the geography of their international research network).

The 2024 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 16,400 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,500 universities in 96 locations around the world.

Recent rankings

糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa also received these notable rankings:

• 2024 U.S. News and World Report鈥檚 Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 9, 2024
• QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, December 11, 2023
• 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, October 29, 2023

For more information on rankings, see the .

—By Marc Arakaki

One experience can change the trajectory of your life. That鈥檚 something that rings true for a group of sixth-grade students from 膧liamanu Elementary School who found themselves on a journey that would spark newfound passions and open new possibilities. It all began with a visit to a lab with James M. Bayman, a University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa archaeologist and professor.

Armed with calipers and scales, students analyzed artifacts of Mesopotamia, noting weights, measurements and colors. After recording their findings, students participated in a critical analysis exercise that touched on how the artifacts might have been used by ancient civilizations.

“I thought archaeology was the study of bones of ancient creatures and the geography of pyramids and jungle sites. I learned that it also includes the study of small things like arrowheads,” marveled one student. “I learned that arrowheads were used by ancient people for hunting. Before I thought it was just something they held on to.”

Another student said, “I thought archaeology was like the science you see in movies, like mixing chemicals and stuff, but it is a lot more. I would 100% want to become an archaeologist now.”

Bayman knows firsthand how the power of a single moment can set you on a new course in life. As a young explorer, a curiosity about nature and fascination with ancient societies and cultures was enriched by his discovery of a remote archaeology site in the Southwestern U.S.

“It was enchanting to find a place where past people lived their lives,” said Bayman.

Now, he is paying it forward and sharing the joys and wonders of his field with a new generation of students.

“Our sixth-grade students have worked hard to research the artifacts of Mesopotamia to understand how they told about history. For our students to be able to engage with real artifacts of history is an experience many would not have had without the help of Professor Bayman—for that we are truly grateful. This is a huge step for the Radford Complex Area鈥檚 efforts to provide students with learning opportunities beyond the walls of the classroom,” said Sandra Yoshimi, 膧liamanu Elementary School principal.

The is in the in the .

Feathered Gods and Fishhooks: The Archaeology of Ancient Hawaiʻi by renowned archaeologist Patrick V. Kirch has been reimagined and expanded in a new and updated 2023 edition. The first edition was described nearly 40 years ago as a “pioneering synthesis of ancient Hawaiian civilization from an archaeological perspective.” The new edition is a complete rewrite of the 1985 book and provides readers with a comprehensive and essential resource for understanding the fascinating archaeological history of Hawaiʻi.

“This new edition synthesizes a vast array of research and literature accumulated over the past four decades,” said Kirch, professor in the at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa. “It begins with a historical review of changing archaeological practice in Hawaiʻi, then delves into the origins of the Polynesians and Hawaiians, exploring eight centuries of gradual cultural change, which culminated in the unique Hawaiian culture encountered by European explorers in the late 18th century.”

Succeeding chapters of the book, co-authored with Mark D. McCoy, professor of anthropology at Florida State University, review traditional agricultural systems, the archaeology of everyday life, ceremonial and temple sites (heiau), and the cultural transformations that transpired following contact with the Western world. Six final chapters review the main archaeological sites of the principal islands.

This updated edition incorporates nearly four decades of research findings since the book’s initial publication, with significant discoveries including:

1. A revised understanding of when Polynesians first arrived in Hawaiʻi—AD 1000 rather than AD 400—based on major improvements in radiocarbon dating.
2. New knowledge regarding when large heiau began to be constructed, and on the multiple functions of heiau as places of astronomical observation and men鈥檚 ritualized craft activities.
3. Appreciation of the scale and importance of the vast dryland farming systems on Hawaiʻi Island and Maui, and the roles these played in the Hawaiian political economy.
4. Integration of the archaeological record of cultural change with the Indigenous Hawaiian moʻolelo (oral histories), and the recognition that these moʻolelo are real histories, not just “myth.”
5. More nuanced understanding of how the rural landscapes of the islands were transformed in the decades following European arrival.

“The real value of the book is bringing together, in one source, the results of literally hundreds of disparate studies, and making sense of them in a coherent account of the Hawaiian past. Anyone with a desire to know something about the ancient history of a particular place, or about a particular topic such as heiau, can turn to Feathered Gods and Fishhooks for a detailed synthesis along with a comprehensive bibliography of sources,鈥� said Kirch.

Feathered Gods and Fishhooks: The Archaeology of Ancient Hawaiʻi is .

During a career in archaeology and anthropology that spanned almost 50 years, the late Emeritus Professor William Kenji “Pila” Kikuchi was an expert on many subjects including the ancient sinkhole called Makauwahi that has been referred to as “the Olduvai Gorge or La Brea Tar Pits of Hawaiʻi” because of its rich array of fossils. His collection of work is currently housed at the college, where he taught for 38 years.

In September, a blessing was held at the college鈥檚 Learning Resource Center where the collection resides and the new archival Kikuchi Center is being established. There are more than 550 books and personal field journals with 8,000+ items still to be examined.

“Kauaʻi Community College recognizes the valuable contributions Dr. Kikuchi made to our students and within the field of Native Hawaiian archaeology,” said Chancellor Joseph Daisy. “We are honored to care for this important collection and make it accessible as a learning and research resource for our students and the broader community here in Hawaiʻi.”

The college has hired Jason Ford to serve as the Kikuchi archivist to process the physical collection, digitize the materials and develop online modules that faculty can embed into curricula. Ford is a recent graduate of the library and information science master’s program at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa.

The collection will soon be available to the public both physically and online.

For his work including Pāʻulaʻula, a significant Hawaiian royal residence on Kauaʻi that was formerly known as the “Russian Fort Elizabeth,” the (SHA) has recognized University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Professor Peter Mills with the 2022 Public Archaeology Award.

The award, which was presented during SHA鈥檚 convention held September 30–October 2 at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, recognizes individuals or groups who reach a broad audience in their local communities and seek to involve these communities in their archaeological efforts.

“What makes the award really special is that it reflects a central role for 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo in sustained efforts to improve heritage management programs in the Pacific by reaching out to descendant communities,” said Mills. “I have greatly benefited from working with so many students with deep passions and connections to cultural stewardship.”

With this award, SHA recognizes the importance of playing an active role in public education concerning Hawaiian archaeology and disseminating research.

“By promoting understanding of Hawaiian cultural sites both for local people and visitors to the Hawaiian Islands, they encourage greater compassion and commitment to these significant places,” reads the SHA awards statement. “Raising public awareness of the importance of these places can help to discourage commercialism and to eliminate collecting, buying, or selling archaeological materials.”

Mills has been a faculty member in 糖心Vlog官方 贬颈濒辞鈥檚 anthropology department since 1997. He has made profound positive impacts through his commitment to public-oriented scholarship, and has increased access to educational and professional training opportunities, particularly through the development of 糖心Vlog官方 贬颈濒辞鈥檚 program.

In particular, the Public Archaeology Award recognizes Mills鈥� work at Pāʻulaʻula, a significant Hawaiian royal residence on the southwest side of Kauaʻi that was commonly known as “Russian Fort Elizabeth” for the last century.

Mills鈥檚 work at Pāʻulaʻula extends back to his dissertation research at the University of California, Berkeley, which later developed into his book, Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Russian Adventure: A New Look at Old History. More recently, Mills and collaborators combined archival documents, maps, photographs and archaeological research to build three-dimensional models of the site and increase community engagement with Pāʻulaʻula.

“His efforts in bringing this history forward has played a role in re-shaping public understanding of Pāʻulaʻula,” noted SHA award statement. “This year, the Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources voted unanimously to rename Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park to Pāʻulaʻula State Historic Site. This decision is an important commitment to recognizing Pāʻulaʻula鈥檚 role in Native Hawaiian history.”

For more, visit the .

—By Susan Enright

In the wake of Hawaiʻi Archaeology Week (September 26–October 2), the joins two non-profit organizations to launch the , an open-access title that will soon accept submissions for its inaugural issue.

The new journal will be co-edited by Mara Mulrooney and Jillian Swift, who are both affiliate graduate faculty at 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa. The two editors developed the publication as a forum to bring together important research and conversations around archaeology, history and heritage management in Polynesia. The editorial board is comprised of 糖心Vlog官方 faculty including Professors Patrick V. Kirch (anthropology, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补), Ty P. Kawika Tengan (ethnic studies, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补), Seth Quintus (anthropology, 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa) and Peter Mills (anthropology, 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo), among others.

“The Journal of Polynesian Archaeology and Research will continue the tradition of publishing cutting-edge results of archaeological research in Hawaiʻi and throughout Polynesia, as well as providing a forum for discussion and debate regarding archaeological practice in the region,” noted Kirch. “I expect that the journal will be an essential resource for both scholars and the engaged public.”

Free and open access

For more than three decades, both of the journal鈥檚 sponsoring organizations—the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology and the Easter Island Foundation—have been committed to promoting research and dialogue on the archaeology of Polynesia. While distribution of previous publications were limited to members, this new journal will be published open-access and freely available to all readers.

This fall, the editors will review manuscripts through the journal submission system (forthcoming) and publish the first issue in 2023 on , 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 open-access, digital institutional repository for both the university community and researchers around the world.

The Journal of Polynesian Archaeology and Research will replace two journals that will cease publication, Hawaiian Archaeology (published by the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology) and Rapa Nui Journal (published by 糖心Vlog官方 Press in collaboration with the Easter Island Foundation). Throughout the past 30 years, Rapa Nui Journal published more than 33 volumes, and Hawaiian Archaeology published 15 volumes and four special publications. The archive of both publications will also be freely available via eVols.

Egypt, known for the pyramids and the sphinx, is the summer destination for three University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa students who are part of the in the . They will spend five weeks in an ancient Egyptian city in the Nile Delta through July 31. The exotic journey is part of the 糖心Vlog官方 Tell Timai Project, where students participate in archaeological activities at the Tell Timai site, which was a flourishing city from 500 B.C. to about 600 A.D. for the Egyptians followed by Greeks and then the Romans.

“The students will get training in archaeological methods, learn about material remains, and relate material culture to the written records,” said Robert Littman, a classics professor who has spearheaded the project since its inception in 2009. “By working on the remains of an ancient city they will gain greater understanding of the history of mankind.”

To date, more than 50 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa students have traveled to Egypt where they assist in high-tech surveys and meticulous digging to uncover the settlement鈥檚 buildings and artifacts, such as pottery, coins and broken columns. Kali Konopko just earned her BA in classics this spring. The aspiring law school student has been enthralled with Egyptian artifacts and coins since she was a young girl.

“It鈥檒l be nice to be able to immerse myself in a world that I鈥檝e studied since I was little,” Konopko said. “It鈥檚 just gonna be amazing to re-create the culture for myself and being able to see the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings and Queens and make it real.”

According to Littman, students must study up to two years of ancient Egyptian language and written texts as a prerequisite for the trip. It鈥檚 a realm Becca Lensing, a PhD candidate in marine biology at 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa, fell into by chance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to complete much work outside of her home in 2020, she decided to enroll in Littman鈥檚 ancient civilization course online. The microbiologist developed a fascination with hieroglyphics and ancient Egyptian bread.

“One of the reasons I鈥檓 interested in ancient baking is, I believe it tasted better back then. Us modern people, we鈥檙e just not baking the bread in the same way as they did.”

Lensing is hoping to find old beer bottles at the excavation site that still carry traces of liquid she hopes to use as yeast to bake batches of bread reminiscent of old Egypt.

Cleopatra perfume

In 2012, Littman and 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa adjunct professor Jay Silverstein uncovered what was thought to be the house of a perfume merchant at the Tell Timai site. The 糖心Vlog官方 professors found glass kilns containing some sort of liquid that later analysis and recreation by perfume experts using ancient Greek texts, led to the reproduction of the myrrh (a natural gum or resin extracted from a number of small, thorny tree species)-based Mendesian and the Metopian perfumes that some claim may have been worn by the famed Egyptian ruler, Cleopatra.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: Cleopatra鈥檚 ancient perfume recreated, July 30, 2019

An archaeological field research project that takes a bottom-up approach to better understand the Angkorian empire just received a four-year, $318,359 . Led by University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa Professor Miriam Stark and University of Oregon faculty member Alison Carter, the project focuses on the everyday lives of the Angkor people.

“Most historians chronicle the history of rulers: their dynastic sequence, their achievements and their monuments. Our work focuses instead on the people who made Angkor function,” said Stark. “Although Angkor is one of the largest preindustrial settlements in the world and has been the focus of substantial scholarly attention, we still know little about the people of Angkor: who built the temples, kept the shrines running, produced food, managed the water and farmed the crops that supported the empire. The P鈥檛eah Cambodia project will study Angkor households and their activities, and explore the roles of households and non-elites in the Cambodian past.”

The P鈥檛eah Cambodia research team, co-directed by Stark and Carter and their Cambodian collaborators, will conduct mapping, excavating and post-fieldwork analysis in the Angkorian site of Prasat Baset in Battambang Province. Seng Khang and Jaratnapa Surinlert, two 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa archaeology graduate students who specialize in Southeast Asian archaeology, will also participate.

Greater Angkor, the Angkorian capital, was connected to and dependent on large provincial centers that channeled goods and labor to the capital, such as the Battambang Province. Battambang, once called the rice granary of Cambodia, traditionally produced big agricultural surpluses and was also a historically contested boundary area between Cambodia and Thailand. Its population was wealthy and a bit independent from the two nation-states.

The P鈥檛eah Cambodia project is a collaboration between Cambodia鈥檚 Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 Department of Anthropology, and the University of Oregon鈥檚 Anthropology program. It is the fifth consecutive project in Cambodia that 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 anthropology department has hosted since the 1990鈥檚 as part of a decades-long collaboration between 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa and Cambodia鈥檚 Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.

糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 Department of Anthropology is housed in the .

This work is an example of 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

World renowned scholar in Greek history and literature, ancient medicine and archaeology Robert Littman celebrated 50 years at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in September. Littman was recruited by 糖心Vlog官方 in 1971 and is a professor in the (CALL). He is known for, among other things, helping recreate Cleopatra鈥檚 perfume and a project based in Egypt where 糖心Vlog官方 students participate in the excavation of an ancient city.

糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa pursued Littman when he was at Brandeis University in Boston. Littman鈥檚 wife suggested that they go to Hawaiʻi for what they thought would be one year, and it turned into more than five decades. Littman earned a BA in classical languages from Columbia University, a masters in ancient history from the University of Oxford and a PhD in classical philology from Columbia University.

“One of the things I鈥檝e appreciated about being out in Hawaiʻi is, since I teach in a small program that is not very specialized, I have not been pigeonholed,” said Littman. “I鈥檝e had the opportunity to diversify my academic work here. I started out as a classicist and historian with a little bit of archaeology. And in Hawaiʻi, I鈥檝e gradually shifted into biblical studies in both Hebrew bible and Greek bible and biblical history. And then I expanded my work in Egyptology in both teaching and researching in the ancient Egyptian language and moving into Egyptian archaeology.”

Littman鈥檚 achievements

Littman has amassed a myriad of accomplishments over his time at 糖心Vlog官方 including: being selected as the 2018 recipient of the Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award; he was part of a team who recreated Cleopatra鈥檚 ancient perfume, which was showcased in a National Geographic exhibit; he was involved in producing the digital edition of the Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest New Testament and Greek version of the Old Testament dating from the 4th century A.D.; and he co-published the illustrated children鈥檚 history book, The Story of Ancient Timai.

Littman continues to direct the 糖心Vlog官方 , the excavation of the ancient city of Thmouis in Timai El Amdid, Egypt in the Nile Delta that started in 2007. To date, more than 200 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa students as well as students from other universities, have traveled to Egypt to participate in the excavation of Thmouis, a flourishing city from 500 B.C. to about 600 A.D. for the Egyptians followed by Greeks and then the Romans.

While on excavations students are exposed to ancient Egyptian culture, they learn about archaeological techniques, and they help with pottery washing on site.

“My first job was in a commercial kitchen washing dishes, and I guess I鈥檓 still doing it, only it鈥檚 [ancient Egyptian] pottery, and I usually get the students to wash it now,” Littman said.

Related 糖心Vlog官方 News stories:

• Cleopatra鈥檚 ancient perfume recreated, July 30, 2019
• 糖心Vlog官方 professor leading excavation in Egypt receives national archaeology award, November 24, 2017
• 糖心Vlog官方 Tell Timai project provides books to children of Egypt, July 27, 2015

50 years of advancement

Littman has experienced dramatic changes in the university over 50 years. Two years after he was recruited, 糖心Vlog官方 started the and the in 1973. Changes in technology have also completely revolutionized education and research. In his early days, Littman was unable to conduct much of his research at 糖心Vlog官方 because sufficient resources were not available at the library. However, with the rise of the internet over his academic career, Littman is now able to access most publications online.

The nature of Littman鈥檚 research has shifted, not just archaeologically, but with the changes in science and scientific techniques. One area he works in is the history of medicine, particularly pandemics.

“When I started out, most of my work was looking at clinical symptoms,” said Littman. “Over time in the 1970s and 80s, as the field of epidemiology developed, I teamed up with various epidemiologists from the University of Hawaiʻi and we looked at epidemiological approaches to the analysis of ancient disease. And now, in the last five years, I鈥檝e teamed up with the newest aspect which is looking at ancient DNA. So those developments in the field over the last 50 years, have paralleled my own professional development of moving into newer and newer techniques in the archeological fields.”

When asked if he had any plans for retirement, Littman chuckled and replied, “I am much too young!” His love of teaching and passion for training the next generation of classicists, historians and archeologists is what inspires him to continue his work at 糖心Vlog官方.

This work is an example of 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

A new aimed at revamping the protection of wahi kūpuna or ancestral sites across Hawaiʻi has recently been released to the public. Kumu (teachers) from , and stemming from a wide umbrella of departments, ranging from anthropology, Hawaiian and American studies and marine and natural resource management participated in developing fresh strategies to safeguard 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 cultural sites and practices.

“For decades we have witnessed wahi kūpuna, wahi pana (storied or legendary places) and iwi kūpuna (ancestral remains) impacted and destroyed at an alarming rate,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa and 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo archaeology alumna Kelley Lehuakeaopuna Uyeoka, who helped organize a wahi kūpuna stewardship Think Tank in 2019 through her non-profit organization Huliauapaʻa. “Even today, the news is filled with stories on development projects destroying our sacred places and the bones of our ancestors. Wahi kūpuna are ancestral spaces and places where we maintain relationships to the past, fostering our identity and well-being in the present.”

Collaborators of the newly published are encouraging the public to read the document to understand what can be done to expand the protection of ancestral sites.

On August 17, an was launched to encourage people to support the Kaliʻuokapaʻakai Collective鈥檚 vision of empowering communities, professionals and agencies to work collaboratively to protect, restore, reinvigorate and appropriately steward 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 wahi kūpuna.

In April 2019, more than 100 participants from 糖心Vlog官方 and across 15 different sectors attended the two-day Think Tank to discuss a range of challenges, opportunities, and solutions for wahi kūpuna stewardship. Real-time data was compiled through topic area panels, facilitated breakout discussions and live surveys. Participants shared, documented, evaluated and prioritized existing and new information, knowledge and practices. Potential strategies proposed at the event were compiled and published in the report, a first-ever analysis of the current state of cultural resource management and historic preservation in Hawaiʻi.

“Much was accomplished and the Kaliʻuokapaʻakai Collective hopes to hold these types of ‘conferences with kuleana (responsibilities)’ every two to three years to continue to tackle systems change in 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 cultural resource management field,” said Director Kekuewa Kikiloi, who helped spearhead the event.

The report highlights four topic areas contributors believe Hawaiʻi is facing such as restoration, proper care of burial sites, improvement of consultation with the community and the expansion of ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian knowledge or thought). The report also lists systemic shortfalls in the current handling of wahi kūpuna which include the lack of digital access to ancestral sites data and severe staffing shortages within the state鈥檚 historic preservation division.

Kānaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiians) propelled to defend the handling of ancestral lands refer to an array of controversial sites such as the destruction of heiau to make way for the H-3 freeway in Kāneʻohe, construction of a luxury home on top of burials at Naue, Kauaʻi, and the continued push for development on Maunakea.

“This report aims to bring awareness to specific wahi kūpuna stewardship issues and highlight ways that individuals, organizations, professionals and others can take action towards greater stewardship,” Uyeoka added.

E pū paʻakai kākou, a resilient people that can survive together.

According to Kikiloi, the translation of Kaliʻuokapaʻakai breaks down to the deeply symbolic term, “the essence of salt” which illustrates the powerful Hawaiian metaphor of paʻakai (salt) as an agent of protection, preservation, healing and bringing people together. The term was coined by the late Uncle Eddie Kaanana.

“The concept of paʻakai also calls to mind the historical landmark legal case, Ka Paʻakai o ka ʻĀina,, that reaffirmed the traditional and customary rights of Native Hawaiians,” Kikiloi explained.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News stories:
  • Connection to ʻāina critical to health among Native Hawaiians, September 30, 2020
  • Journal publishes largest collection of scientific publications by Native Hawaiians, February 11, 2019

New research has shed light on how paddy field rice farming rapidly expanded along Asia鈥檚 coastline 2,000–3,000 years ago after freshwater conditions improved, according to an international team of earth sciences researchers that includes a University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa archaeology professor. The findings were in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

“Rice is the foundation of Asian civilizations, and our study reveals a remarkable relationship involving late Holocene coastal evolution and the rise of rice agriculture across coastal Asia,” said Professor Barry V. Rolett in the . “This model helps explain ancient DNA evidence suggesting a major Bronze Age demographic expansion of rice farmers of northern East Asian descent.”

Although rice history is well documented in the lower Yangtze homeland area, the early southward expansion of paddy rice farming was poorly known. The study investigated the process using a compilation of paleoenvironmental proxies from coastal sediment cores from Southeast China to Thailand and other areas of Southeast Asia.

Rolett explained that the emergence of coastal plains under enhanced freshwater conditions created expansive areas suitable for rice. As a result, over the past three millennia, the extent of coastal land suitable for wetland rice cultivation grew from about 16,000 to 96,000 square kilometers, or 9,941 to 59,651 square miles.

The research was supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Andover Foundation for Archaeological Research. Rolett鈥檚 fellow researchers were Ting Ma and Zhuo Zheng at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, and Yongqiang Zong at the University of Hong Kong.

The is consistently recognized as one of the top universities in the world and for its academic and research excellence across multiple subject areas, according to the .

糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa was rated No. 61 nationally and No. 326 out of more than 20,000 universities worldwide (or the top 2 percent) in QS鈥檚 latest overall university ranking, released in June 2019.

According to the World University Rankings by Subject, released on March 4, 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa was rated 183 in the world (42 in U.S.) for Arts and Humanities, and was ranked 232 worldwide (52 in U.S.). and placed 400 in the world (73 in U.S.), and 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa was ranked in the 401–450 range (115 in U.S.) for the Life Sciences and category.

QS also rated 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa in two new subject areas. placed in the 151–200 range worldwide (50 in U.S.), and was rated in the 201–250 range internationally (71 in U.S.).

Considered one of the most prestigious ranking entities in higher education, QS evaluated universities using four factors: academic and employer reputation, number of research citations per paper and the h-index, which measures the productivity and impact of published work.

“We are gratified that the QS rankings affirm the academic and research excellence that 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa continues to achieve in a wide range of disciplines. Our standing among the top universities in the world is a testament to the efforts of our faculty, staff and students,” 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa Provost Michael Bruno said.

For a full list of QS subject rankings and how 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa placed in other national and international rankings lists, see the website.

—By Marc Arakaki

Two departments in the at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa are rated among the top 50 programs in the nation, according to the .

Geography ranks 37 and the Department of Anthropology鈥檚 archaeology program is tied for 39 among U.S. universities and colleges.

“We are pleased that we continue to be recognized among the best geography programs in the country,” said Reece Jones, professor and chair of the Department of Geography and Environment. Founded in 1932, the program is home to faculty with expertise in environmental geography, human geography and geospatial information science.

“Our knowledgeable faculty have been getting positive attention in the news lately for their subject matter expertise, so their important role in social science and humanistic study is appropriately reflected in this national ranking,” said Christian Peterson, chair and associate professor of anthropology. Established in 1934, the department advances research in areas such as cultural, ecological and medical anthropology, in addition to applied archaeology and the archaeology of complex societies.

Dean Denise Eby Konan added, “Geography and anthropology are about the exploration of not only the human relationship with the environment, but also human social, cultural and biological diversity. It is gratifying to see that both disciplines are recognized for the impactful effects they bring to our modern-day society.”

Times Higher Education is a highly regarded data provider that annually publishes a list of the top national and international universities based on academic and research excellence.

Read more about 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa rankings at 糖心Vlog官方 News.

Editor’s note, October 24—Kirch will be honored with the first-ever (SHA) Lifetime Achievement Award during the SHA conference, October 25-27, at the Kona Imin Center.

A giant in the field of Polynesian archaeology—born and raised in M膩noa, educated at Yale University, taught for three decades at the University of California, Berkeley—has returned home to pass on his knowledge of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 rich past to future generations.

Patrick V. Kirch, who has joined the as an anthropology professor, recently gave a public lecture on his new book, , at the Bishop Museum鈥檚 Atherton Halau.

“My goals at the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa, and for the islands, are to push the boundaries of research in Hawaiian and Polynesian archaeology, build programs that create rich learning opportunities for our students, and to work with local communities to preserve archaeological sites and promote cultural heritage,” he said.

Kirch鈥檚 longstanding relationship with Bishop Museum dates back to his youth as a 13-year-old Punahou student. He first volunteered in the museum鈥檚 malacology program, but soon joined the museum鈥檚 archaeologists on summer projects on Hawaiʻi and Maui islands. These experiences inspired Kirch to study Polynesian anthropology and archaeology.

Students of Kirch, who leads a class in Hawaiian archaeology this fall, may be unaware of his eminence as a scholar, researcher and storyteller. The author of about 20 books and hundreds of scholarly articles, Kirch was elected to membership of the highly regarded National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

“We are so fortunate that Dr. Kirch has brought his lifelong expertise and love for teaching to our campus, college and Hawaiʻi,鈥� said College of Social Sciences Dean Denise Konan. “A giant in archaeology, he also seeks to build new bridges with community partners, like Bishop Museum, so as to provide living research opportunities for our students.”

Kirch鈥檚 latest book, published by 糖心Vlog官方 Press, chronicles a 17-year research odyssey as he, his students and research associates rediscovered the remains of more than 70 temples (heiau) in Kahikinui and Kaup艒 in southeast Maui, one of the largest tracts of undeveloped land in the islands. The research has shown that the heiau were not only places of ritual and prayer, but also locations for astronomical observation, essential to maintaining the traditional Hawaiian calendar.

More about Kirch

After completing his PhD in anthropology at Yale, Kirch worked on the Bishop Museum staff for 10 years, carrying out research in the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Hawaiʻi. In 1989, he joined the Berkeley faculty to continue his active research on Hawaiʻi and Polynesia, training more than 16 doctoral students. Many of his former students have gone on to productive careers in Pacific and Hawaiian archaeology.

After retiring from Berkeley and returning to the islands in 2019, he joined the College of Social Sciences and serves on the Bishop Museum board of directors.

Two professors have recreated Cleopatra鈥檚 ancient perfume, which will be showcased in a National Geographic exhibit. The is a decade-long excavation in the ancient Egyptian city Thmuis (Tell Timai) in the Nile Delta launched by Professor Robert Littman and adjunct professor Jay Silverstein.

Uncovering kilns, rediscovering perfumes

Thmuis was the home to the most famous perfumes of antiquity, Mendesian and Metopian. In the first phase of the Tell Timai Project, evidence was uncovered of this ancient fragrance industry.

A vast complex of third century BCE (Before the Common Era) kilns was discovered. Chemical analysis established that the kilns used imported clays to manufacture fine lekythoi or perfume bottles. In a later Roman occupation, a glass manufacturing kiln was analyzed that may represent the transition from ceramic to the unguentaria or small glass perfume jars used in the Roman period.

In 2012, a manufacturing area for some sort of liquid was uncovered with an adjacent hoard of silver coins and gold and silver jewelry near the kilns suggesting that, possibly, the house of a perfume merchant had been uncovered.

Currently, residue analysis of the contents of some of the amphora, a tall ancient Greek or Roman jar with two handles and a narrow neck, found in the manufacturing area are being conducted to see if there may be identifiable traces of the liquids produced there.

Littman and Silverstein then approached German researchers Dora Goldsmith and Sean Coughlin, experts on ancient Egyptian perfume, to recreate the perfume of Thmuis, based on formulas in ancient Greek texts.

They have reproduced both the myrrh (a natural gum or resin extracted from a number of small, thorny tree species)-based Mendesian and the Metopian perfumes.

Said Littman, “What a thrill it is to smell a perfume that no one has smelled for 2,000 years and one which Cleopatra might have worn.”

Innovative exhibition

These studies of Mendesian perfume have now come together in Washington, D.C. The National Geographic Society opened a new and innovative exhibition on the “” that incorporates cutting edge research, virtual reality experience, and the fragrances of the Queens of Egypt.

The work of Littman and Silverstein and the fragrances of Goldsmith and Coughlin are featured in the National Geographic Museum exhibit in Washington, D.C., which runs through September 15.

Learn more about the 糖心Vlog官方 Tell Timai Project

糖心Vlog官方 professor leading excavation in Egypt receives national archaeology award, November 24, 2017

The past can only be preserved in the present, and in spring 2018, the University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa guided students in the recording of oral history to preserve the experiences of k奴puna in Waialua.

The field school, in a partnership with Kamehameha Schools, started in 2013 as an archaeology/anthropology program where students learned techniques in low impact archaeology at culturally significant sites on the North Shore of Oʻahu.

In spring 2018, the focus shifted to ethnography and the research of life stories, rather than artifacts. The first oral history ethnographic field school ran jointly through the departments of and , and worked with the Waialua Hawaiian Civic Club to connect k奴puna with students for the project. Malia Evans, who holds a master鈥檚 in applied archaeology from 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa, acted as co-instructor of the class, and Kaumakaman艒kalanip艒 Anae served as graduate assistant.

The class of 16 was a mix of undergraduate and graduate students representing majors in anthropology, ethnic studies, Hawaiian studies and English. The k奴puna, who were called “narrators,” shared experiences in Waialua ranging from music to genealogy to ranching.

A sense of place and responsibility

As part of the research process, the students took field trips around Waialua and worked with Kepa Maly, ethnographer and executive director of the 尝腻苍补ʻ颈 Culture and Heritage Center, who shared ideas on responsible oral history work.

“We wanted to make sure the students had the history of Waialua, to touch base with the historical sites,” said Associate Professor Ty Tengan, director of the field school.

“The approach we used placed importance on our narrators鈥� comfort and ease with the whole process, not just our own goals or interest,” said Kuʻulei Freed, an anthropology major graduating in spring 2018. “Because of that, the whole process and outcome was enjoyable for everyone.”

Freed served as the the field school鈥檚 undergraduate assistant and team leader for the group that interviewed Keith Awai and his mother Kanani who shared their memories of plantation life, the closeness of the community and their love of music.

“What was good was that it was new to them too,” said Keith Awai. “They were doing it for the first time, and we were being interviewed for the first time, so we just went with the flow.”

Narration, transcription and connection

After the interviews, the students transcribed the recordings, worked through the editorial process and sought guidance from their narrators and each other as they compiled their research into Story Maps under the tutelage of archaeologist Jesse Stephen.

While the goal of the project was to record the stories to preserve the past, the students and narrators appreciated the opportunity to foster connections with each other in the present.

“Even though it was just for a few meetings, we became really close,” said Awai. “That was really nice.”

At the final 丑艒ʻ颈办别 the students shared their Story Maps with their narrators, families and Waialua community. About 100 people attended the event, and students had the opportunity to thank the narrators and share a final meal with them.

Many of the students, and some of the narrators, plan to continue recording oral history and stay in touch with each other.

Said Freed, “we will still be keeping up with these k奴puna even after the class has officially ended.”

See the Story Maps

Story maps are best viewed on desktop or laptop computer.

—By Heidi Sakuma

University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa Professor Robert Littman has been selected as the 2018 recipient of the (AIA) Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award. The institute is considered the nation’s leading archaeological organization with 220,000 members and promotes inquiry and public understanding of the human past.

Littman is a professor in the and has been teaching at 糖心Vlog官方 since 1977. He is a world renowned scholar in Greek history and literature, ancient medicine and archaeology and will receive his award in Boston in January.

“I think it is very good for the University of Hawaiʻi to have national and international exposure,” said Littman. “It is a pleasure to get it but it really represents a lot of hard and selfless work by others in the field.”

Littman directs 糖心Vlog官方 Tell Timai Excavation Project in Egypt

One of the reasons Littman is being recognized by AIA is for his ongoing 糖心Vlog官方 Tell Timai Project, a decade-long excavation in an ancient Egyptian city in the Nile Delta. Littman and colleague Jay Silverstein, a 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa adjunct professor, have been directing archaeological activities at the Tel Timai site since the project鈥檚 inception in 2007.

To date, more than 70 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa students have traveled to Egypt to participate in the excavation of Thmouis in Timai El Amdid, Egypt, a flourishing city from 500 B.C. to about 600 A.D. for the Egyptians followed by Greeks and then the Romans.

“It鈥檚 an experience that few people get in their whole lives and particularly here in Hawaiʻi,” said Littman. “They get exposed to ancient Egyptian culture, they learn about archaeological techniques and they also learn how to function in a non-English speaking society.”

The students spend six weeks assisting in high-tech surveys and meticulous digging to uncover the settlement鈥檚 buildings and artifacts, such as pottery, coins and broken columns. Jessica Burden, a Kapolei High School graduate double majoring in anthropology and classics, participated in the 糖心Vlog官方 Tell Timai Project and says it changed her perspective of the world.

“Traveling all the way to Egypt was my first big trip off the island,” said Burden. “It really opens your eyes. We get a lot of reports, especially in that area of the world, about the conflicts and issues going on there, but once you get there, you don鈥檛 really get that. You just meet wonderful people who are interested in talking to you. It led me down a path of wanting to travel more and learn more.”

History uncovered

A recent discovery by the 糖心Vlog官方 Tell Timai Project is the cover story, “,” in the November/December 2017 issue of Archaeology. It ties an episode of destruction in Tell Timai to early 2nd century B.C. events described on the Rosetta Stone. Found in 1799, the Rosetta Stone was the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs. Tell Timai researchers had identified a destruction layer in the ancient city with weapons, destroyed buildings and remains of people who died violent deaths.

“The trick was taking this destruction event and tying it the chronological events that we knew of in history.” said Silverstein. “It is the first time that evidence of some of the events on the Rosetta Stone have actually turned up in the archaeological record.”

Related videos

The (HBPA) has presented its for excellence in nonfiction to , the summer 2016 volume of , published by the . HBPA’s jurors considered eighty-five nominations in twelve publishing categories.

In a book-length interview, illustrated with maps, charts, and previously unpublished photographs, Curve of the Hook covers the life, career, and major achievements of Yosihiko Sinoto, former chair of the anthropology department at the and one of the foremost archaeologists in the Pacific. Sinoto is also a University of Hawaiʻi alumnus.

The book was edited by M膩noa’s editor, Frank Stewart, who translated Curve of the Hook from the original Japanese with Madoka Nagad艒, a PhD candidate in the . Nagad艒 started work on the translation when she was the journal’s Grace K.J. Abernethy fellow.

Curve of the Hook is published simultaneously as an original paperback by University of Hawaiʻi Press. Launched in 1989, M膩noa Journal is published twice a year by 糖心Vlog官方 Press and is the recipient of a $10,000 award from the (NEA) for the 2017鈥�2018 fiscal year. The NEA awarded 63 grants totaling $1.3 million for the literature program.

Praise for Sinoto’s work

“Dr. Yosi Sinoto is a pillar of archaeology in our Tahitian islands. Thanks to his discoveries, the people of Huahine have a better understanding of their heritage, and how their ancestors lived. He is not only a great scientist and adventurer, but also a loyal friend to the people he works with. He knows the Tahitian people beyond the historical facts and finds, and connects with them heart and soul. With his work he opens our eyes to the Tahitian culture of the past, sharing our deep respect for the land and its mysteries. M膩uruuru roa ia ʻoe, Taote Sinoto!”
—Dorothy Levy-Lubin, president, 艑pu Nui Association, Huahine, Tahiti

“Yosihiko Sinoto is one of the pioneers of modern archaeology in Polynesia and the excavator of key sites in Hawaiʻi, the Marquesas, and the Society Islands. His innovative and painstaking analysis of fishhooks, in particular, showed how these seemingly mundane objects could open windows to the past.”
—Patrick Kirch, chancellor’s professor emeritus in archaeology, University of California, Berkeley

“Yosi Sinoto has spent his whole life dedicated to the traditions and history of the Pacific people. I have a very deep sense of gratitude, respect, and aloha for him because he has dedicated his whole life to the protection, preservation, and dignity of Hawaiian and Pacific cultures and traditions.”
—Nainoa Thompson, president, Polynesian Voyaging Society