Archeology at Kuka‘iwa‘a: Early Hawaiian Farming on Molokai’s North Shore

Kalaupapa National Historical Park, on the island of Molokai, is best known as the isolated peninsula where people with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) were sent from 1866 to 1965. But beneath and around that settlement, on the peninsula and in the valleys of the north shore, the park also preserves thousands of archeological features from earlier Hawaiian life — dry-stacked stone structures showing that people here lived mainly by farming.

The Kuka‘iwa‘a landshelf, looking inland toward the coastal forest. NPS photo.

A remote survey

Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act makes federal agencies responsible for the historic properties in their care, and baseline surveys show what those sites need and what threatens them. In April and May 2013, the park’s cultural resources staff surveyed Kuka‘iwa‘a, a remote landshelf on the edge of Waikolu Valley in eastern Molokai, reachable only by boat or helicopter.

Waikolu lies on the rainy windward side, where moist trade winds bring heavy rain. The landshelf has no permanent streams, but intermittent waterfalls and rain would have supplied fresh water. It is covered in native coastal forest of lauhala (Pandanus tectorius), whose leaves were woven, and hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus), which provided wood for canoe outriggers and tools, cordage and medicine.

Earlier surveys had focused on the exposed coastal shelf, with its platforms, C-shaped shelters, stone tools and shell. This time the team went into the dense interior. With a small crew, little time, and no wish to damage the native forest by cutting survey grids, they followed an ocean-to-mountain (makai–mauka) corridor already cut by the park’s natural resources staff, recording every feature visible from it.

Museum technician Kellie Ellis clears lauhala leaves to reveal archeological features. NPS photo.

What they found

Park archeologist Mary Jane Naone and museum technician Kellie Ellis recorded 38 traditional Hawaiian features and subfeatures:

• 11 enclosures;
• 16 terrace segments;
• 5 platforms;
• 3 alignments;
• 2 mounds; and
• 1 possible water feature.

Hawaiians settled Molokai’s north shore about 1,000 years ago, judging from dates in neighboring valleys, though the landshelf may have been settled later. The terraces and mounds point to dryland farming that held rainwater and slowed erosion on the slope; low walls and terraces may have marked boundaries, gathered soil and broken the wind; and multi-level platforms and enclosures may have been homes tied to the fields. The landshelf also holds heiau, ceremonial sites.

An early Hawaiian feature uncovered and recorded by park staff. NPS photo.

Similar dryland farming in nearby valleys grew sweet potato, bananas, ti, yams, breadfruit and arrowroot, and perhaps paper mulberry for barkcloth, olona for cordage, kava for ritual use and kukui (candlenut). No plant or pollen samples were taken this time, and more research is needed to estimate how many people lived here.

The survey adds a dimension to Kalaupapa’s story: long before the settlement, this landscape supported Hawaiian families, farms and places of worship, and further study will help the park preserve and interpret them.

Sources

Based on "Archeology at the Kuka’iwa’a Landshelf, Kalaupapa," by Mary Jane Naone, archeologist, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, National Park Service; a work of the United States government in the public domain.