Tentative session dates Session 1: 1 June to 1 July 2010 Session 2: 1 July to 1 August 2010 NOTE: These dates are only rough estimates. Exact dates will be determined by final boat schedule.

Nukunonu Atoll
Tokelau
South Pacific Ocean

University of Hawai'i, Hilo

6

The course fee is US$4,994

Course fee covers UHH tuition for Anth 482, RT sea transport Apia to Tokelau, food (3 meals/day), simple lodging in Tokelau, and surface transport in Tokelau.

The fieldschool will have two sessions of about 3 weeks (the exact arrival and departure will depend on possible ship-schedule changes). These will be during June and July. Dates for each session will be confirmed in Spring Semester.

If you are interested in attending, please keep in contact with Dr. David Addison, because scheduling is dependent on the ship MV Tokelau schedule and other unforeseeable factors. Participants should book their flights to return home from Apia for approximately a week later than the ship’s return to Apia (this will accommodate any changes in the return ship schedule and allow you to visit Samoa as well).

Prehistoric, multidisciplinary

Last 1000 years

Tokelau is a remote location where life is simple, basic, and joy-filled. There is normally electrical power 24/7. Telephone connections with the outside are satellite-based and variable. Internet access is slow and there will be very limited student-access time.

Fresh water is in very limited supply and participants will need to be conscious of water use and conservation.

The fieldschool will have two sessions of about 3 weeks (the exact arrival and departure will depend on possible ship-schedule changes). These will be during June and July. Dates for each session will be confirmed in Spring Semester.

If you are interested in attending, please keep in contact with Dr. David Addison, because scheduling is dependent on the ship MV Tokelau schedule and other unforeseeable factors. Participants should book their flights to return home from Apia for approximately a week later than the ship’s return to Apia (this will accommodate any changes in the return ship schedule and allow you to visit Samoa as well).

Monday-Friday 7AM-4PM

Except Nukunonu holidays

N/A

Directors:
David Addison John Kalolo

2010 Participating Scientists:
Adam Thompson (terrestrial mollusks, paleo-environment)
Alex Morrison (marine mollusks, paleo-climate, geomorphology)
Amber Beavis (spider genetics and human mediated distribution)
Art Whistler (botany)
Bill Dickinson (geology, geomorphology)
Chris Filimoehala (GPS, GIS, survey and mapping)
Fiona Petchey (radiocarbon dating)
Jeff Boutain (microbotancial remains, paleo-environment)
Jennifer Kahn (household archaeology)
Jesse Stephen (film documentary)
Lisa Matisoo-Smith (animal and human DNA)
Rintaro Ono (faunal remains, ethnoarchaeology or fishing)
Susie Rutherford (marine ecology)
Tim Gallaher (ethnobotany, terrestrial ecology)

Yes

Fishing, snorkeling, swimming as well as participation in village activities and celebrations

Tokelau Science Education and Research Project

The Tokelau Science Education and Research Project is a multidisciplinary and international effort aimed at changing lives by touching each individual in a whole nation with science knowledge. At the same time we are undertaking world-class primary research on topics such as palaeoenvironmental, ethnoecology, geology, botany, marine resource management, biological anthropology, geomorphological change, and terrestrial malacology. Archaeological research topics include, surface and subsurface survey, household excavations, zooarchaeology, archaeo-osteology, 14C research, geochemical characterization, etc.

Global Warming and Sustainable Resource Management

Centuries ago Tokelau faced the same sort of questions that our world community is now facing. Because of the extremely limited terrestrial resources available in an atoll environment, the people of Tokelau long ago had to develop very sophisticated mechanisms for sustainable resource use. Our research is thus focused on a theme of “1000 Years of Sustainable Resource Management.” Most of Tokelau is less than 2m above sea level. As Global Warming raises sea level worldwide, parts of Tokelau will disappear. There is thus some urgency in documenting this unique culture’s complex history and environmental management mechanisms.

The Fieldschool

Fieldschool students will actively participate in the project research and will learning basic archaeological field techniques. Participants will serve as peer mentors for Tokelau students and will work in small “learning teams” with a scientist, Tokelauan students, and Samoan university students. Students interested in participating in the non-archaeology aspects of the project research may apply for the fieldschool, but this must be arranged well before registration. Contact Dr. David Addison to discuss your interest area.

To learn more:
2009 Addison, D. J. and J. Kalolo. Tokelau Science Education and Research Program: Atafu Fieldwork August 2008. Pago Pago and Atafu: Samoan Studies Institute and Tokelau Department of Education. http://www.tokelauscience.com/docs/epress_medium.pdf

2009. Addison, D. J., B. Bass, C. Christensen, J. Kalolo, S. Lundblad, P. Mills, F. Petchey, & A. Thompson. Archaeology of Atafu, Tokelau: some initial results from 2008. Rapa Nui Journal 23(1):5-10. http://www.anthropology.hawaii.edu/Alumni/addison/index.html#publications

2009 Ono, R. and D. J. Addison. Ethnoecology and Tokelauan fishing lore from Atafu Atoll, Tokelau. SPC Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin 26(Dec):3-22. http://www.spc.int/coastfish/news/Trad/26/Trad26_03_Ono.pdf And others at: http://www.tokelauscience.com/resources.shtml

Dr. David Addison
add1ison@gmail.com