The Pacific Prehistory Project at the University of Hawai`i is a diverse group of historical and anthropological scientists whose goal is to advance our understanding of the unique evolutionary problems and adaptations of  human populations in the Pacific. Multi-disciplinary research in human and environmental ecology, evolutionary theory, simulation modeling, population genetics and archaeological science is conducted by both academic and private sector researchers in the United States, as well as internationally. 

The Pacific Prehistory Project, under the direction of Professor Terry Hunt, offers a variety of archaeological field schools in the South Pacific. Our long-term research in the Pacific is integrated by questions concerning the evolution of human diversity and complexity.  Thus, we see the value of posing broad, comparative research questions in different island cases from the Pacific region.

In the Summer of 2002 we are planning two archaeological field schools, one in the Yasawa Islands of Fiji, and another on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). These field schools are open to undergraduate and graduate students who wish to earn six-semester credits while learning a range of archaeological field methods in the spectacular and anthropologically-significant settings of the South Pacific. We will continue to offer archaeological field schools in Fiji and Rapa Nui over the next several years. Students will be involved in original, theoretically-informed field research in both Rapa Nui and Fiji. In 2003 (June-July) we plan to offer a special program joining ethnographic and archaeological field schools in Vanuatu in central Melanesia.