HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0476.003 2004-2006 NOU-Ofl-2005 TUE 01'.29 PM Hr~WA!1 TR.3_~NE HERA!D FaX hC, 9~:3e6G P Cl
To: Councilwoman Virginia Isbell
From: Dave Smith, Hawaii Tribune-Herald; 935-6621, ext. Z48.
dsmith@hawaiitribune-herald.com
The following 10 pages are from a i 976 archaeological study for the proposed Kau n~na
Springs Wilderness Park. The area of the study, 117 acres, includes thL 50..59-ace i.... as
that is the subject of Resolution 186-05 and which is aao Iated or sore reaps, ir,cl~~i r g
the one in the telephone book, as Kaumana Springs Wilderness County ParM<.,
Comm. No. ~7~.
Raf. To: h
Ref. Dote 9 ~nn5
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL R9CONNAISSAwce SURVEY
OF PROPOSED RAUMANA SPRINGS WILOERNB55 PARK
HILO, 15LAND OF HAWAII
' by
Aki Sinoto
Department of Anthrapalogy
Bernice P. Bishop Musuem
Prepased fox
• Division of Parks end Recreation
County of Hawaii
Hilo, Hawaii
INTRODUCTION
At the request of the County of Hawaii, Division of Parks and tlacrration,
staff of she Department o! Anthropoiogy, Hernia p, Bishop Museum, conducted
an archaeological reeorautissance surv¢y of the site of the proposod ;Caumana
Springs Wilderness ?ask. The aroa was surveyed an Tuly 28, 19^.&, bu Aki Sinota
and Eric Komori.
A reconnaissance-level sunray permits an in-the-field assessme~tt of ezist-
ing cultural resources and facilitates the formulation of recormendstians for
action to mitigate any adverse effects of proposed deveiopeent arit~ri:~t a speei-
fled area.
The project area comprises approximately 117 acres of undeveloped land
in Kaumana, Hilo, Island of Hawaii. Located between Waiawenne Avenue, on the
north, and Ainako Avenue, on the south, the sees is baunded by sugarcane (Mauna
Kea Sugar Co., Ltd-), residrnces, and undeveloped land, (Fig. ly. 5everai small
streams traverse the area, and low-lying portions era characterized by swamps
and marshes (Fig. 2). Mora detailed background ~nfoma*.ion and enviramm~ntal
data are given in the EYtvtronmentaL Assessment for K¢amma 5pr•;rge 'v,Zdernees
' Pm~k (Oct. 19, 1976? prepared b'y Walters, Kimura and 0.ssaciatas, Ina. *or the
County of Hawaii.
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SURVEY METHODS AND RES17L15
the reconnaissance survey entailed:
(1) walking s~steaatic transccts through the protect area to locate any
cultural raseurcvs:
(2) approximate plotting of the sited areas an a map (Fig i) for future
identification and location;
(3) photographic recording of selevt®d sites.
The project anon had been described proviousiy as extensively altered ey
historic=period agrieultura; activities, and the praaonec of any cultural
resources had been dismissed:
No arrhaeologlcei or historieal Sites have been iacated in ere
Kaumana Springs Wilderness park area by the CDp ~lfilo Community
Development Pianj. The project site was forpderly used =or agriculture
as evidoneed by the furrowed land and rock mound; and wells, whirr
,.ere created whin the land was cleared Eor cultivation. Thin use
destroyed any possibie archaeological or historical sites wh.l.ch might
formerly have bean in the wren [Walters, Kimura and Associates 1976:9j.
The current survey, however, tYVealed that much of the intarier area is
. unaltered; and that soee of the remains, such as xalls and mounds, nxhi?~3t
characteriaties that are nora typical of prehistoric tonstruet-a°e than of his-
taric coastruetion. Six major clusters of ai.es Were locat~,d ;sig. i}.
Cluster 1, Near the xestern and of the Survey area, adjacent to the swamp,
are sewrel disturbed terraces and small segments of scone
alignments.
luster 2. Near the soutF.wastezn coxmer of the survey area and mere rem-
nants of terraces and intact portions of astone-reinforced
`a~aaad (irrigation ditch).
Cluster 3. Centrally located in the southern half of the surrey area are
srvsral steno luounds and cairns (pig. 3}, a large elongate
platform (Fig, 6), and a low stems wn!i that paral:els the
present fenceline along the southern boundary (included in the
Preliminary Master Plan map, Jun. 1974, by George S. Walt ere
and Assoc.; Snc.).
Cluster 4. Near the northatn ban:dary of tlue au~-vWy area, im~t.ed1ately
south of the existing residentlal lees, are several walls,
NOU-C'F 2C05 "SCE ~2° °M NF~dP~' 'R'~-~.F= ~ _k;!;_C 9?'."360] P. ~`1
. GSOa~s
enclosures, eerracos, and stone-rainfu~ced stiearn banks.
Cluster 5. Gen rally located in the survey area and NE of Cluster 3 are
teaaass, platforms, mounds, cairns, and 'asax~:.
Cluster b. Near the northeastern corner of eia survey are z, a39aeant to
the Kaumana Springs aqueduct and pastureland, are several
circular and oblong cairns (Fig, S} end a small, high-walled
enclosure (Fig. 6),
No postabla artifacts wcro rocovcrsd during this survey.
DISCUSSl~1 ,
Although the clusters of sites appear as discrete, spatial;y isolated uni.ta,
the sited areas are probably continuous and could 9e cansidsrerr as components
of a single extensive complex The apparent discontinuity of sice:s as descri6ei
in this report is pr mar y the result of the physical limltati ere imposed on :rb
survey by dense vegetation cover. The false siaghorn fern (lTicr+snopterie Zinea•i
and wilelatiki ($ehti>ae tereb~lnthijaliua Raddi), in particular, were often impen+-
Frable and prevnntsd continuous transacts. Thus, nom rites ma; 6s present wi =iii:
chose areas that are densely vegetated (sae Pig. l'). Also, since the past
alteration oP land is clearly evident in the peri~ileral areas, acditional, ease
ciated sites may already have bean deatzoyed.
Most of the sites located exhibit construction that is characteristic of
an aboriginal (p:nhiseoric) Hawaiian agricultural complex, The 'zla~:~r,, tetraca~,
rock mounds, cairns, and modified stream banks era common element; sound in
prehistoric-type agricultural areas, and have bear. documented frc~u sthe: areas
in the Hawaiian Islnnds (Kirch 1975; ROSendahl ;576, Green 19b9 6 iC; Ladd i,F 7; t i'S;
Further, the generally wet condlt:ions, and the wild stands o£ wetla:~d txro (COZ~-
cae-Ca esrrulertta) and 'ape Gllaoaaur mctarari'hfaa) £'ound in the area, suggest thv
practise of irrigated cultiiraeion in the past.
Some of the ocher sites, especially the stone rolls, appear to be historic
cattle or boundary walls. The origin of the amorphous piles or mounds of stone
is difficult to determine without fusthcr investlgaticr, mounds of :hs type
were produced by lend clearing in both prehistoric and `~istoric prr_ods. Sweat
potatoes were sometimes auitivated on mounds of earth and stone.
"JCV-~~3 2005 "rl`E ~i'. 29 ~,-~dn~' °R~ ~~~1D rHX PSG. 9oi3~~i~ I'. G~
• IHs. OSOa7g ,.d,
A distinction must be made betwe®n tho crude amorFhou: Hounds and r;hoso that
exhibit soma structure] form. The tarn "cairn" has been used ;n tS;is report ii
referagce to, the Latter typo. this tyge of structure was eamnr;nly used for
boundary narkers and burials in prehistoric times,
In summary, tho preliminary res,uits of the survoy indlcata tt,e presence
_ of a prehistoric.type agricultural complex in the interior portions of the pru
posed Kaumana Springs Wilderness nark, with some historic-parted remains in th•
peripheral areas. •
R®COMdENDATI0N5~
Since the typros aF cultural resources pxesenL arc fairly :-omnon and resea•.•cF.
potential fs minimal Further Investigation is not imporative_ It is racommettded
that the archeeolo$ieal remains be ineludod in the park fox puolic interpretat:.cto,
'which seems compatiblo with the xilderness theme.
Specific reeommendaCions are enumerated 'below:
(i) Accurate instrument ioeaeion mappinf of the sites and,'or clear demaIr:~-
tiori kith colored flagging tape may be rnquirod prior to ,any clearing
or tefanstation activities to protect ttxe existing sites
(2) .4s much of the clearing a# vegetation and trails as pds;iyle shauld b~
done manually, MitheUti the nse of heavy equipmenC,
(3) Selective site clusters should bo cleared and stabilized :or public
interpretation as examples of prehistoric activities in ee area-
(6) The cairns can be dlsmanLlod to determine contents and fuiction befo•.-~
restoration.
(5) Qualified supervision would be necessary during the stabi:iZation and
restosation activities to ensure authenticity.
(6) IF new botanical specimens aro to be brought !nto the srei, exotics
should be kept to a minimum, with nose emphasis on native itawaiian
species. '!'he terraces could be replanted wish taro.
(7) At the limo of major constzuetlon activities for permanent faciiitio.;
camping or picnicking area;, and parking lots, monitoring '~y qualified
personnel may bo necessary to a599I0 pro~oer :•ecording aF any subsurt:x:o
cultural remains.
NOU-~~B-2C05 "'!_'E r~ a~ o~ u, .;F__ "R'=~ ADD ";X 'vC. ~a _33~'-: N. Ci
F~. 080478
Thera era very few public p,izks today in the State of Hawaii with an
eberiginal or prehistoric Hawaiian themo. Lf the Kaumana Springs Wilderness P:izk
• is Tebiiiad, it will ba an important and educational asset for Nilo, as well es
for the whole State.
RGGGRL'NCDS
Goon, Roger C. (od.)
1969 M¢kaNa vaLLay h'is;.oriaai Prvjmat: Interim Report No, 1. pacific
Anthropologieai Records 4, papt. Anthropology, 8. P. Bishop Mus.
Honolulu.
1970 MskaHa Yallay HiotorlaaZ Projeot: Interim Report Nc. i. Pxcifia
Anthropological Records 1C. Dept. Anthropology, P, Bishop Mus.
Honolulu.
Kirsh, Patrick V., and Marion Koliy (eds.j
1975 Preh~Letvey and EovZogy in a NiridL:drd 9m.7a•Lian VaLT.e}a: fiaTman Va7.lap,.
. ,4toZaltcrl. Pacific Anthropologirai Re cards 2a. Dept, A~2thzopolog;~,
8. P. Bishop Mus. Honolulu.
Ladd, Edmund J., and 5. p, Yon (eds.)
1972 Makatea VaZZey R~storicaZ Projoot: In.*.arim Report :To. 3. Pacific
Anthropological Records 18. Dopt. Antf~ropology, 1+. P. Bishop Mus.
Honolulu.
Ladd, Edmund J. (ed.)
1973 hhkaha VaZZey Riatoriaal Projeot: Interim Report 90. 4. Pacifir,
Anthropological Records 19. Dept. Anthropology, E. P. Bishop Mu:+-
Honolulu.
Rosandahl, Paul H.
1976 ATOhaaoLogLaal InvaetigatLona tin tJpiand Xaneohe, Departmental
Report Series 76-1. Dept_ Anthropology, B. P. Bis~op Nus. Honolulu,
Walters, Kiwura and Associates, Inc,
1976 E4tvirorunerttaL Asa¢eam¢nt for Xaxmrorra SprorgB WiZdernesa Ru°k (Ocr.. _ 3,
}976). Prepared fas tho County of Hawaii_
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