The University of Hawai`i will offer a full archaeological field school on the remote Polynesian island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile) in the Summer of 2002 (1 July to 8 August). The first week of the field school will be an intensive orientation at the University of Hawai`i, Manoa campus. On Rapa Nui students will conduct archaeological field survey, detailed mapping, and small-scale excavations on archaeological sites. We will work directly with Native Rapanui students. We will also work with the P. Sebastian Englert Museum of Anthropology on the island. We will live in a simple hotel in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui's only town. Our field work will be conducted on prehistoric habitations and other sites in a northwestern coastal sector of the island. A vast amount of previous archaeological research by Chilean and international scientists on the island illustrates the richness and complexity of the prehistoric, historic, and palaeo-environmental record on this fascinating and anthropologically-significant island. 

NEW!  Important information for students:  NEW!

We are currently evaluating the option of offering additional field school credits for students who wish to earn Spanish foreign language skills in an immersive environment while we are deployed on Rapa Nui. Credit may be available for 100 and 200-level Spanish language. More information on this program option will be available soon. Please contact Dr. Hunt directly to learn details of the Spanish language course.

Itinerary:

Students will travel to Honolulu in time to begin the orientation at U.H. on Monday, 1 July. We will then travel to Rapa Nui (via Tahiti) around 6 July 2002. Our specific travel dates are tentative, as airline schedules are subject to change. We will spend about a month (6 July to 8 August, 2002) on Rapa Nui doing archaeological field work with intensive, hands-on training. We will be working with Rapanui students and with Englert Museum staff. As part of the field school, we will have a few lectures on Pacific archaeology as well as on Rapa Nui prehistory and environmental change. Students will learn archaeological survey and excavation methods, as well as some museum procedures. We will plan multiple field trips to visit the numerous, indeed famous, archaeological sites on the island. Students will see a great deal of the archaeology on the island and will have ample opportunity to participate in local activities, including hiking, swimming, and sightseeing. 

Qualifications:

Costs and Expenses:

No previous field experience is necessary, although we will consider some qualifications in selecting students. These include: 

1) completion of some course work in archaeology and anthropology; 

2) academic excellence (as indicated by grades and letter of recommendation); 

3) strong motivation, positive attitude, adaptability, and ability to work well with others (as indicated by your statement and the letter of recommendation); 

4) ability to speak Spanish and/or a Polynesian language is highly desired for this field school, but is not required for admission (language proficiency should be indicated in the application package by advanced course work or listed as applicant's native language).

Tuition is $780 ($130 per credit for 6 credits).

An institute fee of $2,500 includes field school supplies, simple shared accommodation, most food, and ground transportation on the island.

Round-trip airfares should be added to the total cost (see typical fares below).

These costs DO NOT include inexpensive dormitory housing, food, and transportation while at U.H. during the first week of orientation, nor do they include the costs of our unavoidable stopover in Tahiti (French Polynesia). 

Application Deadline: 12 April, 2002

Class Limit: 20