ARCHAEOLOGY OF EASTERN POLYNESIA

 

Retrospect and Prospect

 

 

 

 

An International Conference Hosted by:

 

The Richard Gump Research Station

University of California at Berkeley

Mo’orea, French Polynesia

24 November to 2 December 2000

 

 

 

Co-Organizers:

 

Dr. Eric Conte

Université de Polynésie Francaise

Prof. Patrick V. Kirch

University of California at Berkeley

 

 

 

 

 

Conference Supported by a Grant from

The Fonds France-Berkeley

 


 

Summary Program of the Conference

 

Friday, 24 November 2000/ Saturday, 25 November:

Arrival of participants to Fa’a’a airport, and transfer to Mo’orea by ferry

 

Sunday, 26 November:

Visiting sites in the Opunohu Valley

 

Monday, 27 November through Wednesday, 29 November:

Informal presentations and discussions at the Gump Station

 

Tuesday, 28 November:

Buffet luncheon for participants and invited guests

 

Thursday, 30 November:

Circle-island tour of Mo’orea, visit to marae sites

 

Friday, 1 December:

Transfer to Pape’ete by 8 am ferry

Cocktail reception and buffet luncheon at the Hotel Beachcomber, Tahiti, co-hosted by Madame Louise Peltzer, La Ministre de la Culture, et Sylvie André, Présidente de l’Université de Polynésie Francaise

Evening presentations by selected conference participants (Conte, Rolett, Kirch, Ottino) at the l’Université de Polynésie Francaise, open to the public

 

Saturday, 2 December:

Departure of conference participants from Fa’a’a airport

 


 

 

List of Participants Attending

 

Organizers:

            Eric Conte, l’Université de Polynésie Francaise

            Patrick V. Kirch, University of California at Berkeley

 

Senior Researchers:

            Melinda Allen, University of Auckland, New Zealand

            Atholl Anderson, Australian National University

            Jean-Michel Chazine, France

            Claudio Cristino, Easter Island, Chile

            Roger C. Green, University of Auckland

            Eric Komori, State of Hawai’i Historic Preservation Office, USA

            Pierre Ottino, ORSTOM, France

            Barry Rolett, University of Hawai’i/ Harvard University, USA

            Christophe Sand, New Caledonia

            Yosihiko Sinoto, Bishop Museum, Hawai’i, USA

            Joseph Tchong, Centre Polynésien des Sciences Humaines, Tahiti

            Patricia Vargas, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

            Pierre Verin, l’Université de Polynésie Francaise, Tahiti

            Marshall Weisler, University of Otago, New Zealand

 

Students:

            J. Kahn, University of California at Berkeley (paper to be read)

            S. Millerstrom, University of California at Berkeley

            H. Cauchois, Centre Polynésien des Sciences Humaines, Tahiti

            T. Maric, l’Université de Polynésie Francaise

 

Observers/Guests:

            J.-M. Dubois, Tahiti

            Neil Davies, Director, Gump Research Station

            M. Eddowes, Mo’orea

            Marimari Kellum, Mo’orea

 

 


 

Tentative Schedule of Presentations/Discussions

 

Monday, 27 December

 

            Morning Session: Problems in the Colonization of Eastern Polynesia

 

            8.30-9.15 am. A. Anderson, “Colonization Chronology of French Polynesia”

 

            9.15-10.00 am. M. Weisler, “Mangareva Sequence and the Dating of Geographic Expansion in Southeast Polynesia”

 

            10.00-10.15 am. Coffee break

 

            10.15-11.00 am. Y. Sinoto, “Where are the Initial Colonization Sites in Hawai’i, Marquesas, and Society Islands?”

 

            11.00-11.30 am. C. Christino, “Thoughts on the Marutea-Mangareva-Pitcairn-Henderson-Rapa Nui Interaction Sphere”

 

            11.30-12.00 noon. General Discussion

 

            12.00-2.00 pm. Lunch

 

            Afternoon Session: Interaction and Voyaging Spheres

 

            2.00-2.45 pm. B. Rolett, “Voyaging and Interaction Spheres in the Eastern Polynesian Homeland Region”

 

            2.45-3.30 pm. R. Green and M. Weisler, “Holistic Approaches to Interaction Spheres, a Polynesian Example”

 

            3.30-4.15 pm. J.-M. Chazine, “The Tuamotus and their Links with Neighboring Archipelagoes”

 

            4.15-5.00 pm. General Discussion

 

 

Tuesday, 28 December

 

            Morning Session: Settlement Patterns and Household Archaeology

 

            8.30-9.15 am. J. Kahn, “Recent Results of Household Archaeology in the Opunohu Valley, Mo’orea” (presented by P. Kirch)

 

            9.15-10.00 am. E. Conte, “Current Research in Ua Huka, Marquesas Islands”

 

            10.00-10.45 am. P. Kirch, “The Settlement Landscape of an ‘Open Chiefdom,’ Mangaia, Southern Cook Islands”

 

            11:00 Buffet Luncheon for Invited Guests/ Tour of the Gump Research Station

 

            Afternoon Session: Social Transformation and Evolution

 

            2.00-2.45 pm. C. Sand, “Cultural Diversity in Tribal Melanesia Versus Cultural Homogeneity in Polynesian Chiefdoms”

 

            2.45-3.30 pm. Millerstrom, “Between a Rock and Hard Place: Trials and Tribulations of Rock Art Research in the Marquesas Islands”

 

            3.30-4.15 pm. M. Eddowes, “History and Archaeology: The Tutae’auri and Mamaia Cult, A Transformation of Tahitian Religious Practice”

 

            4.15-5.00 pm. General Discussion

 

 

Wednesday, 29 December

 

            Morning Session: Ethnoarchaeology, Ancient Economies, Research Strategies

 

            8.30-9.15 am. M. Allen, “Prehistoric Marine Fisheries in Eastern Polynesia: New Approaches”

 

            9.15-10 am. E. Komori, “Geographic Information Systems and Archaeological Models in Eastern Polynesia”

 

            10.00-10.15 am. Coffee Break

 

            10.15-10.45 am. H. Cauchois, “Ethnoarchaeological Study of Dry Horticulture in Maupiti Island”

 

            10.45-11.30 am. P. Verin, “Research Strategies of Archaeology in the Eastern Pacific”

 

            11.30-12.00 noon. General Discussion

 

            12.00-2.00 pm. Lunch

 

 

 

            Afternoon Session: Issues of Cultural Patrimony, Site Preservation

 

            2.00-2.45 pm. P. Vargas, “Rebuilding Cultural Identity at Local and Regional Levels”

 

            2.45-3.30 pm. P. Ottino, “La Mise en Valeur du Patrimoine Archeologique”

 

            3.30-4.00 pm. C. Christino, “Tahitian Valleys Revisited: Papeno’o and Vaihiria Eighty Years After Emory”

 

            4.00-4.30 pm. Y. Sinoto, “Restoration of Society Islands Marae”

 

            4.30-5.00 pm. General Discussion

 

Thursday, 30 December

 

            Morning Session: Discussion Concerning Future Research Priorities in Eastern Polynesia

 

             8.30-9.00 am. Remarks by Joseph Tchong, Director of the Departement d’Archéologie of French Polynesia

 

            Open discussion of future research priorities and directions, and of the relationship between research and preservation/cultural patrimony

 

            12.00 noon. Lunch

 

            Afternoon: Circle-island tour of Mo’orea, visitations to marae sites