RESTORATION OF ʻĪMAKAKĀLOA HEIAU, KAʻALĀIKI, KAʻŪ HAWAIʻI: REDEFINING ANCIENT STRUCTURES FOR A LIVING CULTURE
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2017-05
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This thesis examines an Indigenous initiative to restore ʻĪmakakāloa Heiau, an ancient hula temple in Kaʻalāiki, Kaʻū on the island of Hawaiʻi to be utilized by the living culture for ritual and ceremony. This project was initiated by Kumu Hula (Hula Masters) with genealogical ties to the Kaʻū area seeking to elevate their practice through heiau ceremony. Together with the Kaʻū community, archaeologists, cultural practitioners, non-profit organizations, heritage managers and government agencies, a collaborative approach to understand this sacred place and the ceremony and protocol associated with it emerged. This thesis examines how traditional knowledge and ancestral processes of environmental connection can be used in conjunction with Indigenous archaeology in the field of heritage management.
My research utilizes an interdisciplinary approach combining ethno-historical research with archaeology as complementary ways of understanding the past. Drafting a preservation plan to guide the restoration and overall site preservation efforts is an important facet of this study, but the design of the research by cultural practitioners and the grounding of this research in Indigenous knowledge is what allows for an Indigenous approach to heritage management. Virtually every aspect of this project involved cultural practitioner participation.
This study demonstrates the process of Indigenous Heritage Management, an approach that maintains community and stakeholder engagement, honors cultural protocol, utilizes Indigenous knowledge and serves Indigenous initiatives. A site documentation process utilized before during and after the restoration of the site will be implemented to provide a chronological record of the restoration process. The study also resulted in a protocol guide created specifically for the ʻĪmakakāloa Heiau restoration by the Kumu Hula to be disseminated to various Hālau in preparation for a rededication ceremony in 2018. By providing protocols, this research aids in the perpetuation of hula ceremony practices and rituals which maintains the connection between cultural practitioners and their environment. While many Indigenous archaeological projects are initiated by an archaeologist and include the Indigenous community; this project is initiated by the Indigenous practitioner community and, when necessary, includes archaeologists, educators, students, cultural practitioners, experts, non-profit organizations and government agencies, illustrating the many facets of collaboration involved in Indigenous heritage management.
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Archaeology, Cultural resources management, Cultural anthropology, Heiau Hula, Heiau Restoration, Imakakaloa Heiau, Indigenous Archaeology, Indigenous Heritage Management, Kaalaiki
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271 pages
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