Archaeological Assessment of a Portion of Moloaʻa Hui Lands

T. S. Dye & Colleagues, Archaeologists, Inc.
735 Bishop St., Suite 315, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813
Archaeological Assessment of a Portion of Moloa‘a
Hui Lands (TMK:(4)4–9–03:01 & 02)
Thomas S. Dye, Ph.D.
February 21, 2006
Abstract
A review of historical records and pedestrian survey of forested drainages indicates that there are no historic properties in the two parcels, TMK:(4)4–9–03:01
& 02, of the project area. No historic properties will be affected by the proposed
subdivision and development of these parcels.
At the request of Mr. Ben Welborn, Landmark Consulting, T. S. Dye & Colleagues,
Archaeologists, Inc. has completed an archaeological assessment of approximately 65 ac.
of Moloa‘a hui lands at ‘Aliomanu, Kawaihau, Kaua‘i. The assessment covers one tax map
parcel and a portion of a second parcel (fig. 1): TMK:(4)4–9–03:01 is an approximately
63.34 ac. parcel that was originally Lot 74 of the Moloa‘a hui lands and is proposed
to be subdivided into twelve agricultural lots, each 5 ac. or larger, and one roadway
lot of approximately 1.99 ac.; TMK:(4)4–9–03:02 is an approximately 48.8 ac. parcel
that will be subdivided with the intent of creating a new roadway lot to provide access
to parcel TMK:(4)4–9–03:01 from Kūhiō Highway directly mauka of the highway’s
intersection with ‘Aliomanu Road. This subdivision of parcel TMK:(4)4–9–03:02 will
create an approximately 1.37 ac. roadway lot. This assessment covers parcel TMK:(4)4–
9–03:01 and the proposed roadway lot within parcel TMK:(4)4–9–03:02, an area of just
under 65 ac.
Parcel 01 is entirely within the State Land Use Agricultural District as confirmed by
a SLUC Boundary Interpretation dated October 28th, 2005 (No. 05-16). It is bounded
on the south by Anahola ahupua‘a, on the west by steeply sloping conservation land,
and on the north by an intermittent storm drainage. The irregular boundary on the east
follows an intermittent storm drainage at its southern end, is bordered by numerous
developed small holdings in the middle, and by another large lot of the Moloa‘a Hui at
its northern end. The eastern boundary of parcel 01 is approximately 1.25 km from the
coast at Kuaehu point.
The project area consists of gently to moderately sloping land at the base of the hills
leading to Pu‘uehu at the mauka end of the ahupua‘a. The land here is cut by gullies
1
hui
mauka
ahupua‘a
2
Figure 1. Tax map parcels (4)4–9–03:01 & 02 on a recent aerial photograph. Parcel 01
is shown divided into twelve lots. Note the intersection of the roadway in parcel 02 with
Kūhiō Highway directly mauka of ‘Aliomanu Road. North is at the top of the figure.
kukui
classified by the Army Corps of Engineers as “intermittent storm drainages.” Soils over
most of the parcel are classified as Lihue silty clays on 0–25% slopes [3:82–83]. These
are well drained soils developed on material weathered from igneous rocks. In the
intermittent stream drainages and along ‘Aliomanu stream soils are classified as Hanalei
silty clay, deep water table [3:38]. This is a poorly drained soil found on bottom lands of
Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. The project area receives 40–60 in. of rainfall annually. Vegetation
over most of the project area consists of grasses with widely spaced java plum trees (see
fig. 1). In the drainages, a forest of primarily introduced trees including kukui is present
(fig. 2).
There are no known historic sites within the project area (fig. 3). The nearest known
historic sites within ‘Aliomanu ahupua‘a were recorded by Bennett [1]. The closest, about
0.5 km distant, is site 50–30–04–118, a walled enclosure located at the base of the hills,
interpreted as “probably a cattle corral” [1:129]. Beyond this, also at the base of the hills,
3
Figure 2. Overview of the project area from the southwest corner, looking north. Note
the forested drainage in the foreground and the open grassland beyond it in the middle
distance.
is site 50–30–04–119, Kaluakehelu heiau, described by Thomas G. Thrum as “a large Lshaped heiau” [1:129]. Beyond this, at the boundary of Pāpa‘a ahupua‘a, is Pohakuokalani
heiau, site 50–30–04–120, a single terrace [1:129–130]. Farther away, toward the coast, is
site 50–30–04–996, a firepit that yielded an 14 C date of ad 1483–1680 on unidentified
wood charcoal [2]. At the northeastern corner of the ahupua‘a about 1.4 km from the
project area is site 50–30–04–1896, which consists of two human burials [5].1
Most of the project area was cultivated in pineapple (fig. 4). All of the land between
the drainages was planted in pineapple in 1960. The mauka portions of the drainages in
the project area were forested in 1960 and these represent the only parts of the project area
that might contain historic sites today. The lower parts of the drainages, both within the
project area and closer to Kūhiō Highway, appear to have had cultivation extending right
down to the bottom of the drainage ways. This is especially the case with the intermittent
drainage north of parcel 01. Note that the aerial photograph indicates that this drainage,
which crosses Kūhiō Highway in the vicinity of the proposed access road, was completely
1 The site number given in the title of McMahon [5] differs from the record for this site in the State
Historic Preservation Division geographic information system (GIS) database. This report uses the site
number from the GIS database.
heiau
4
'&( ) "*+ ( ),( "*
!#"%$ !$
Figure 3. The project area and known historic sites in ‘Aliomanu ahupua‘a on a portion
of the U.S.G.S. Anahola quadrangle topographic map.
taken over by pineapple cultivation and there is no likelihood that historic sites will be
found there.
On January 26, 2006, the forested drainages within parcel 01 were surveyed for historic
properties by the author, a qualified archaeologist as defined by Hawaii Administrative
Rules §13–281–3, and Mr. Ben Welborn, both of whom walked the entire length of each
intermittent storm drainage. The tree cover within the drainages has kept the ground
cover relatively thin and visibility in all areas was fair to good. Property boundaries
were clearly marked by stakes topped with long pieces of white PVC pipe. This survey
indicated that all of the drainages contain abundant basalt boulders pushed into them
from the pineapple fields on either side. These boulders generally cover the slopes into
the drainages. Several small flat areas near the drainage channels were found free of
boulders from the pineapple fields but none of these contained any evidence for traditional
Hawaiian agricultural use in the form of remnant pondfields or planting mounds.
In summary, historical records and pedestrian survey of TMK:(4)4–9–03:01 & 02
indicates that no historic properties are present. Thus, there will be no historic properties
affected by the subdivision and future development of these two parcels.
GLOSSARY
5
Figure 4. Aerial photograph of the project area dated March 22, 1960. R. M. Towill
Corporation Photo Archives.
Glossary
Entries for Hawaiian words are excerpted or paraphrased, where possible, from the
Hawaiian Dictionary [6], or from Lucas [4].
ahupua‘a Traditional Hawaiian land division usually extending from the uplands to the
sea.
heiau Traditional Hawaiian place of worship.
hui A club, association, society, company, or partnership.
kukui The candlenut, Aleurites moluccana.
mauka Inland, upland, toward the mountain.
Bibliography
[1] Bennett, W. C. (1931). Archaeology of Kauai. Number 80 in Bulletin of the Bernice P.
Bishop Museum. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
6
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[2] Denham, T., J. Kennedy, and L. Reintsema (1992, August). Archaeological Inventory
Survey with Subsurface Testing Report for a Property Located at TMK:4–9–04:1, in the
Ahupua‘a of Aliomanu, District of Kawaihau, on the Island of Kauai. Prepared for
Peter Mellen. Hale‘iwa, Hawaii: Archaeological Consultants of Hawaii, Inc.
[3] Foote, D. E., E. L. Hill, S. Nakamura, and F. Stephens (1972). Soil Survey of the Islands
of Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, State of Hawaii. Washington, D.C.: United
States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. Published in cooperation
with the University of Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station.
[4] Lucas, P. F. N. (1995). A Dictionary of Hawaiian Legal Land-Terms. Honolulu: Native
Hawaiian Legal Corporation and University of Hawai‘i Committeee for the Preservation and Study of Hawaiian Language, Art and Culture.
[5] McMahon, N. (1994, February 9). Rapaport inadvertent burial discoveries (State no.
50–30–04–1880), TMK:4–9–4:32, lot 2, Aliomanu, Kawaihau, Kauai. Memorandum
to files, State Historic Preservation Division, Kapolei, Hawaii.
[6] Pukui, M. K. and S. H. Elbert (1971). Hawaiian Dictionary (Third ed.). Honolulu:
University of Hawaii Press.