Native Hawaiian Collection Systems in Lava Tubes(Caves) and Fault Cracks: Puna - Ka'u Districts, Hawaii

The coastal plains of the Puna and Ka' u Districts of the island of Hawaii are a contradiction to the popular view that the island of Hawaii is a tropical rain forest or a vegetated landscape with abundant water sour This section of the island lies in the rain shadow of Mauna Loa a Kilauea Volcanoes and receives less than 30 inches of annual precipita When rain does come. it is in the form of sudden down pours. givi residents of the area little time to collect and conserve water. Due to porous nature of the rock. there is no standing surface water. In spite of these harsh climatic conditions. archeological evidence indic that an extensive agriculture complex existed not only along the coast. into the most remote parts of what is called the Ka'u Desert. Pass through these agricultural areas are historic and pre - historic t systems. These trail systems apparently played a significant suppor role for exchange between the ahupua's (classic land divisions of Haw and the geopolitical districts. The question arises as to how could vast agricultural complexes a heavy foot travel over miles of arid land exist without dependable wa sources\ulcorner While planting - pits and mounds were designed to make most efficient use of available water and conserve moisture(Carter 19 9). people involved in planting also needed potable water for surv Most publications and research papers dealing with the early population this area make only oblique reference to springs and wells which t populations depended upon. The Federal Cave Resource Protection Act(1988) has served as imprtus for the National Park Service to look closer at the lava tu caves and fault cracks within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. P visitors to these underground areas found large volumes of standing wa in fault cracks. and abundant drip areas with the lava tubes. Re observes noted that in most cases. where the cracks and caves we located in the arid sections of the park. there has been extens modifiacation or utilization of these water sources by the early Hawaii and others. The variety of western containers used for collection indica that these water sources were used during historic times. William E described similar water sources in his narrative of his trip around island in 1823(Eills 1979), This report is directed at documenting recent observations and a stimulating further research into early Hawaiian water collection syst It also explores the implications that power and political influence of e chiefs in the arid portions of Hawaii could have been linked to the con of the water resources.