Quintus, Seth ， Filimoehala, Darby ， Walker, Carly ， Murakami, Gail ， Todd, Summer Roper
2026 JOURNAL OF PACIFIC ARCHAEOLOGY 2026 16(卷), 2(期), (null页)
Substantial changes in political and land organization occurred in Hawai`i in the last 200 years before European arrival. These changes are thought to have affected land access and management, with areas nearer centres of power being more heavily influenced. Less is known about the effects of these changes on outlying areas and those areas with substantial environmental diversity. We investigate this scenario here by examining remnants of the Ka`u Field System located in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. We find evidence for local-scale agricultural management and the persistent use of houses through time. We also identify evidence of continued access to forest resources, even after formal agricultural infrastructure replaced a low-intensity agroforestry system. Our results speak to a high degree of autonomy in this section of the Ka`u Field System, which contrasts with some parts of the Kona Field System and the centre of the Leeward Kohala Field System.