Hawaiian Archaeology & Disasters: (Re)unification with the Land to build a Resilient Future

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Hawai'i is a dynamic landscape with a unique archaeological record. The archipelago's relatively short physical history has been subject to various disasters, including sea level rise, tsunami, wildfire, and drought. Predictions indicate that anthropogenic drivers of climate change will increase the frequency and severity of disasters in the Pacific. In the wake of Maui's devastating wildfires, Native Hawaiians are again forced to confront their identity and the destruction of their identity. The natural resources and beauty of the land, once enabling Pre-Contact Hawaiians to flourish, have been subjected to colonialism and contemporary tourism. This exploitation and misuse of the islands' resources has resulted in overall uncooperative relationships with the land, increasing the likelihood of disasters. Throughout Hawai'i's Pre-Contact archaeological record, there is evidence of Native Hawaiians throughout the islands. The native Hawaiian worldview embodies the concept of interdependence between people and their land. This research explores archaeologists' crucial role in safeguarding and unveiling the Hawaiian worldview found within the archaeological record and how this worldview can enhance today's human-landscape relationship, promoting cooperation with the land for a more disaster-resilient future.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37969.0