Overview
Cooperative projects conducted in
the Pacific Islands to help develop field archaeology skills critical for historic preservation
and cultural resource management are at the same time useful in providing new archaeological data
on the islands' past. The projects provide assistance for training employees in
Micronesian governments whose responsibilities include developing and maintaining archaeological
and historic site inventories, databases and records, conserving historic and traditional
cultural sites, and approving permits for activities that would potentially affect the
archaeological, historic and cultural values of such sites. These activities are being
carried out jointly by the Historic Preservation offices in the islands and the Pacific
Islands Archaeology Program, University of Oregon. The project has been coordinated with a
Bishop Museum project that includes other field training efforts in Tahiti and in Vanuatu.
Recent archaeological results include new site mapping and data on stone money carved in Palau for use
on Yap and architectural sites on Pohnpei at Nan Madol and Imwinsapw.
Participants
This training project was supported by the Island Historic Preservation offices.
Outside funding is primarily from the Sasakawa Foundation, Japan, and the University of
Oregon and coordinated with Dr. Yosihiko Sinoto, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Hawai'i.
Ms. Victoria N. Kanai, the Chief of the Historic Preservation Office in the Division
of Cultural Affairs, is the key administrator of the project on Palau.
The Pohnpei key administrator is Mr. Emensio Eperiam, Head, Historic Preservation Office,
Department of Lands and Natural Resources. Dr. Rufino Mauricio, Chief Archaeologist of
the Historic Preservation Office, Federated States of Micronesia, has encouraged
these projects as well.
The projects include on-island activities in archaeology, including archaeological
field survey, site recognition and definition, various levels of mapping, and site
description. As well, efforts at developing oral history references,
reviewing historical documentary evidence, and working with databases have been included.
A site records management project is being developed. The overall Micronesian project
is managed by William S. Ayres, Professor of Anthropology, University of Oregon, who has
had extensive experience in Pacific archaeology and historic preservation. Projects have
been led in the field by Ayres, Scott Fitzpatrick, MA, a Ph.D. student specializing
in Pacific Islands archaeology at the University of Oregon, and Dr. Christophe
Descantes, who has a PhD in Pacific archaeology, also from the University of Oregon.
These co-instructors participate as part of the Department of Anthropology's Cultural
Resources Management Program, which has a long history of working with Native American
tribal groups as well as Pacific Islanders in helping manage cultural resources.
Specifics for the training come in part from the guidelines developed by Ayres and
Mauricio from the Salapwuk, Pohnpei, project done in 1989-90 as part of the Micronesian
Resources Survey program and found in the report: Salapwuk Archaeology: A Survey
of Historic and Cultural Resources on Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. The
projects also continue the training and research outlined in the report entitled Historic Preservation Field
Archaeology Training/Mapping Project.
Bibliographic Sources
Ayres, William S., and Rufino Mauricio (1999) "Definition, Ownership and Conservation
of Indigenous Landscapes at Salapwuk, Pohnpei, Micronesia." In The Archaeology and Anthropology of the Landscape: Shaping your landscape, P. Ucko and R. Layton, eds., pp. 298-321. Proceedings, World Archaeological Congress-3. London: Routledge.
Ayres, William S., and Rufino Mauricio. 1997 Pohnpei Archaeology Component:
Salapwuk Archaeology: Survey of Historic and Cultural Resources of Pohnpei State.
San Francisco: Micronesian Endowment for Historic Preservation and U.S. National
Park Service.
Fitzpatrick, S. M. and V. N. Kanai. 1997. Palau Five Year Historical and
Cultural Preservation Plan: 1998-2003. Report Submitted to the U.S. Department
of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs. San Francisco: U.S. National Park Service.
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