Project Reflection
By Mercury Oandasan
As a young kid I had visited the Outrigger quite a few times to go hang out on the hammock, eat at the all you can eat buffet, or to watch my cousin Eileen dance hula in the main lobby. While growing up I did not really pay that much attention to the Heiau, but I do remember seeing a lot of rubble and large cobblestones in a collapsed shaped mound.
I attended an orientation about a Plane Table Mapping project called Hui Kaha Pohaku in the Kealakehe High school library. While I was in the orientation Uncle Mahealani described what we would be doing on the worksite, and also showed us a slideshow from the last years group showing us how fun it will be while working hard and learning at the same time. I was really interested in this project so I signed up for the field trips.
At the first field trip, students from a Hawaiian Immersion School, who arrived before us, accompanied our students. Uncle Mahealani discussed how he would like us to act on the site, shared with us the history of the Heaiu surrounding the Kahalu’u Ahupua’a, and what we were going to do on the site for the day. On arrival we observed trees that have been cut down all the way around Pao Umi Heaiu, but there were still trees standing inside of the Heaiu. We were instructed to clear all of those trees out by the end of the day. Everyone lined up in a single file line from the Heiau to a pile of debris and we all passed it all down and added our rubbish to the pile. We finished in less than one hour, which was really fast to me. I think teamwork was a typical Hawaiian way of doing things.
My thoughts, beliefs, and feelings toward the Ain’a have changed since attending the Hui Kaha Pohaku fieldtrips. I have also changed my perspective and my point of view of how I look at things or talk to people. I try to look at everything with a positive thought in my mind. My belief in keeping the Ain’a clean and maintained has strengthened as I learned more and more about the Hawaiian customs in the old days, how they lived and kept their land clean with respect and love.
As I think back, I am really thankful for the experience I was given and feel that I have benefited from it. I learned a lot about the old Hawaiian culture which will help keep my perspective more spiritually based and my respect towards other peers at a high level. I want to try to treat everyone and everything the way I want to be treated. My knowledge will always be growing. Time will change and I will remember this experience forever. I find myself wondering what this area and the life of the area will be like 200 years from now.
Blog #1By Mercury Oandasan
This past Tuesday, January 26th, on our fieldtrip to map Pao ‘umi Heiau, we were asked to clear out and move large branches, sticks, and, other large debri from the southern side of the wall. When we finished clearing the larger mess out of the way we brought out our plane table and tried to find the most area we could. That is also when we encountered a few problems. When we tried to level our plane table the bubble would not line up to the middle. We spent a good 15 to 20 minutes trying to set it up until we asked Uncle Keone to help us. He turned it over and then set up our table in less than 5 minutes.
Trying to set up the plane table at the reference point is one of the most challenging things we had to do. After setting it up we had information that did not seem to line up with the information I already had. It forced us to start a new map; we graphed as much of the wall as we could and missed but a few. It is so important to be precise and accurate when mapping
Blog #2
By Mercury Oandasan
On Tuesday, February 2nd we had our Hui Kaha Pohaku field trip on which we had lots of fun, drawing the rock wall. Uncle Mahealani reviewed with us all the things we had learned about on the past field trips and lessons. Uncle Keone taught us how to sketch the walls and how to use and identify where to place everything on the map correctly.
When we first got to the Heiau in the morning we had a dilemma and had to wait for a while. After lunch Uncle Keone showed up and put us to work. We were told to pay attention to the rock walls that are still standing undamaged. Then, he showed us how to measure the rock in the most precise way without spending too much time doing so. Soon after he tutored us we drew four other walls drawing in the major rocks. On the map we also marked the areas of collapsed walls. When everything started taking shape I felt good about myself and the work that I produced. I felt accomplished when I could see my work start to form and felt good inside because I learned something new. I really liked this past field trip I learned a bunch of new information; I can’t wait until the next field trip.
How to Use a Plane Table By Mercury Oandasan
When you are finished plotting your point continue on to the next flag and after a few more you start to see the wall taking shape on the map. A technique that I found easier was for me to hold the measuring tape above my plane table. That way it was easier and more accurate than holding it slanted next to the reference point which made it less accurate. Make sure you round off your measurements you have to the nearest hundredth.
I believe setting up the plane table and using it is a new challenge, but is the most exciting and you learn the most. When I first learned how to use all the tools correctly I was really proud that I learned so much in such a short amount of time. Shortly after learning how to use the plane table I went around helping my peers who were confused or were new to plane table mapping and I guess I taught it well enough for them to catch on instantly, so I think that could be one of my favorite parts of the field trip besides being in the classroom part. I agree with one of my teachers philosophies. “ You don’t really know something until you can explain it to someone else.”
Inquiry Questions
By Mercury Oandasan
- What are some interesting questions? Write several inquiry questions that you have now after working at the site for all this time.
When we first began this project I knew I was going to be learning a lot of new things and probably getting confused at times. The first day on our trip I already had questions about a few things I’ve heard about the Hawaiians, but I wasn’t really sure if they were true and whether to believe it or not I got my answers soon enough. Uncle Mahealani answered most of my questions without me needing to ask. A funny thing that happened though was as soon as I got one of my questions answered there were five more questions that popped up in my head. I felt that each question was like a door that opened to more doors making you have endless amounts of questions.
An advantage to learning outdoors is you work hands on and in my case I learn much better working like this. You learn from being explained how to do something, and then doing it yourself. I personally believe I learn better by being shown visually then doing the task right. After that, I gain a much greater understanding. Being out on the site I’ve gained much knowledge, wisdom, and respect to the Ain’a, my peers, the Kai and myself.
by Mercury Oandasan
On one of my field trips we had to set up our plane table so we had to use the flags to find our position. None of the flags distances matched up and our map was inaccurate. So we had to restart the map and I wish the person who was working on it before our group was more accurate.
The reason why we were instructed to get the most precise measurements was so that everything would be even on the map. Another reason is because we use all the maps of different parts of the Heiau then collect each group’s plane table and from that put them all together like a puzzle then get the combination of all the maps. Later, when we are not there Uncle Keone goes out again to double check the measurements we have collected and make sure they are as precise as can be and match up with measurements students have recorded. He also fills in the missing parts of the map we had trouble drawing or had confusion and measured it the wrong way. If you record all the incorrect Kaha or measurements it will throw off the whole map and imprecise wall sizes will be documented which would cause everything to be off on the map. Then your product would end up not being the correct proportion.
When we were almost done measuring the rocks and drawing it onto our maps it was much easier to complete when everything was more accurate. I learned that it is better not to rush but to take your time to complete your work with quality while concentrating and being precise at the same time patient and in the end you will end up with a high quality product. This is just like a couple of the habits of mind that we are learning in school – precision.
By Michael Schloffel
At the Hui Kaha Pohaku field trips, we have learned how to set up and use the plane table. When drawing on the plane table the only way to get your map to fit on the paper is to use a scaling system. A scale is a way to take a larger measurement, such as meters, and convert it to a smaller measurement, such as centimeters. By doing this we can easily draw everything exactly how it is, only smaller.
To know how to scale something down is a very useful skill. I am grateful that Uncle Keone and Uncle Mahealani taught these skills to us. I can take this now and use it in a career in the future. I know both archeologists and architects both use a scaling system in their drawings. It was a good opportunity to learn all these scales.
-Describe how your relationship with the land has changed since the project began.
By Michael Schloffel
Since the Hui Kaha Pohaku field trips began, I think a lot has changed. My knowledge of where I am as well as what has happened on this land has greatly increased. I now feel that I know so much more about the land. Both Uncle Keone and Uncle Mahealani have taught my friends and I tons of stuff about the land at Kahalu’u. In this area, there are a lot of heiau.
Field trip blogs
By Michael Schloffel
1. The definition of change is to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone: I know that everything has changed at the site we visited. I am excited to actually witness more change in the heiau that we will be mapping. It was good to see all the heiau’s restored, and I wonder what they will look like 25 years from now. I was amazed when they told us that people were trashing the heiau’s and camping inside of them back in the day.
2. I learned choke on this field trip. I enjoy going on these trips. I know that it is important to stay mature, and do quality work. I also know we all must be careful not to move, or displace, any stones. We do not want to disturb anything or alter the maps.
I learned how to completely set up and take apart the plane tables. I followed around Uncle Keone and he showed me all the best places to place the flags. It was good to do that and have him show me all the different parts and places of Pau Umi Heiau. It amazed me to see him look at a wall, and then be able to point out the places that it fell apart.
The finished maps of the walls also give a basic outline of where the wall should be. This can be seen by connecting the flags placed on the part where the wall was still intact. I used a ruler to make it a straight line and show that the wall is still together.I continue to learn more and more on these field trips. I am gaining lots of knowledge about the Heiau's and plane table mapping as well. I look forward to going on more field trips.
3. By going on this field trip I have learned a lot about the Hawaiian culture. I like how we follow traditions at the site, and chant before and after we work. I can see now how hard it must be for Hawaiian people, to see random people walking on the heiau, and even the luakini(sacrificial), or forbidden heiau. It makes perfect sense to snap at them, they don’t belong. I have learned that you must have self control and treat everything with respect, be positive and ready to help out, or you just will not belong. I would like to see and learn more about the heiau.
4. I was very grateful to get out of school once again and do something useful with the day. My friends and I have all learned and taught each other how to productively map the heiau. This time we mapped the inside of Pao Umi and drew the different part of the walls. I learned that some points on our map where measured wrong. To fix this we had to take new measurements, and redo part of the map. It was a very good thing to experience because it required more measurements and a higher level of thinking. I have also learned how to map wall collapses, cobble, filled depressions, depressions, and parts of the wall that are still intact. This is all very important in the process of restoring the heiau because you need to know where the original wall was, as well as where to rebuild the new wall. I look forward to going to more field trips and learning more things.
By Michael Schloffel
In the past couple of weeks, I have been going on Hui Kaha Pohaku (plane table mapping) field trips. I have learned so much about a few heiau in the Kahalu’u area. I think the most important heiau that I have learned about is known as the Hawaiian calendar, or Hapai Ali’i Heiau. This formation of stones is significant because it can be used to tell which season it is. It is incredibly accurate as well, you will know the very day the season changes, just by looking at it.
Hapai Ali’i Heiau is even simple to use, it is rectangular in shape, and has stones on top of the west wall that were placed in geographic points. The stones line up directly with the sun on the day the season changes. To read the season, you simply stand around 100 meters back from the East (Hikina) wall, and look at the three stones placed on the center of the West (Komohana) wall. If the sun is on the North (Akau) side, than it is summer, Kealapolohiwa’akane, or the season of Ku’u. if the sun is on the South (Hema) side, than it is winter, Kealapolohiwa’akanaloa, or the season of Lono. When the sun is directly over the middle stone, it is the equinox, or Kealapiko’owakea.
It took over 600-800 men and about three years to produce. They built it directly in front of a small pond. They knew that putting it in front of the pond would help push back the force of the ocean, making it last longer. The pond actually takes energy from the wave before it would hit the stones. There were massive waves as well back then, so they could only build during low tide. Another thing was they built they walls at a slant. This building technique makes it even stronger and more likely to withstand the brutality of the open ocean. Hapai Ali’i has a PaePae open court built into it. I think it is amazing how the Hawaiian’s figured out how to build it corresponding with the time changes on the Earth. It must have taken lots of hard work making it accurate, and only constructing it during low tide.
