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Comm. 25-020 TRADITIONAL SETTLEMENT PATTERNS, StIRSISTENCE, AND LAND -USE Situated along the windward coast of Hawaii Island, Puna is a verdant and abundant district with good rainfall and rich soils. However, it is also subject to volcanic eruptions and has been covered by new lava in many places over the last 1.000 years (Gordy 2000:17, and 22). Much of the district's coastal areas has thin soils, and there are no good deep water harbors. The ocean along the Puna coast is often rough and wind- blown. As a result of these two factors, settlement patterns in Puna tend to be dispersed and without major population centers. Villages in Puna tend to be spread out over larger areas and often are inland, and away from the coast, where the soil is better for agriculture (ibid: 45). The lack of population centers also had an effect on the development of a hierarchy of district rulers. Puna was often not strongly tied together by a tight web of allegiances between ali'i and konohiki. As a result, Puna was often conquered and ruled by stronger district leaders in Hilo or Ka`u (Kamakau 1992:17 and 77). Puna was famous as a district for some of its valuable products, including "hogs, gray tapa cloth ('eleuli), tapas made of mumuki bark, fine mats made of young pandanus blossoms (`uhuhinulo), mats made of young pandanus leaves ('ahuao), and feathers of the 'Wo and mumo birds" (ibid:106). Historical accounts pertaining to the Waiakahiula and the project area region are scarce but provide some information on traditional residence patterns, land -use, and subsistence horticulture in the Waiakahiula Ahupua'a area. Waiakahiula is translated as Kahiula's water (Andrews and Parker 1922:672). William Ellis passed through Waiakahiula Ahupua'a in 1823 while travelling along the coast from Kilauea to Waiakca Ahupua'a, Hilo. Ellis' journey took him along the coast of Kahuwai, Wa'awa'a, and Nanawale Ahupua'a just south of Waiakahiula Ahupua`a (figure 4). Ellis and his party then turned muuku and proceeded inland to a village in Honolulu Ahupua'a (Ellis 1963:294). The village was small and set in the forest. The next morning Ellis traveled to the shore at Waiakahiula Ahupua'a and rested in the shade of a canoe house there. His travelling companions walked inland about a half mile to preach to the people there (ibid: 295). The village would have been located almost a half mile west of the current project area, near present day Opakapaka Street. 8