Another Legacy of Hawai'i's Voyaging Chiefs: Models of Successful Leadership presented by Dr. Kēhaunani Abad What might today's Hawaiian community leaders share in common with Hawai'i's legendary chiefs? Many aspects of what are considered to be foundational Hawaiian leadership traits stem from the era of voyaging chiefs. Learn how historic circumstances shaped social interactions of leaders past and established successful models of behavior that were emulated in later generations of ali'i. Dr. Abad gives a captivating look into those lessons learned, and how they remain as relevant today as ..read more

Master Weapon Maker and Hawaiian Artisan, G. Umi Kai, gives an interesting look into the design, materials, and functions of the kahiko makau (ornamental fish hook). In addition, Umi explores how the Hawaiian ancestors crafted their makau in the past, and what tools were used to create the exquisite, cultural objects. By tracing from the past purposes and methods to the designs of today, the role of makau as a functional tool to wearable art is better understood ..read more

Jack Gray gives a short presentation on the Whare Tapere - Pre-European Pa (Māori village) based houses of entertainment, storytelling and dance. The Whare Tapere fell into disuse during the 19th Century as Māori moved away to larger towns and cities resulting in the loss of these particular forms. Since 2004, an innovative cultural research process by Charles Royal and Orotokare has sought to reimagine these particular arts based on fragments of knowledge that remained, leading to the development and performance of a modern Whare Tapere ..read more

As part of the grand unveiling of Pacific Hall, Dr. Patrick Kirch, University of California, Berkeley, explains the current state of archaeologist's understanding of the settlement of the Pacific and of Hawaiʻi ..read more

Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is often portrayed as the locale of a dramatic societal collapse triggered by overpopulation and environmental degradation during the late pre-European contact period (before A.D. 1722). Despite the popularity of this collapse narrative, there is very little solid evidence for it. In this presentation, Dr. Mara Mulrooney shares the results of recent archaeological research into settlement and land use on the island ..read more

Dr. Mulrooney is an Assistant Anthropologist at the Bishop Museum. In an interview with Hawaii Public Radio’s Chris Vandercook, Dr. Mulrooney talks about her archaeological work on Rapa Nui that uncovers evidence about what Rapanui society was like before the first Europeans visited the island on Easter Sunday in 1722. Mahalo to Hawai'i Public Radio for sharing this audio content with us ..read more

Bishop Museum’s Pacific Hall renovation is the topic of Hawaii Public Radio’s Business of the Arts show with Host Judy Neal. Listen to exhibit team members Historian DeSoto Brown, Project Manager Elizabeth Tatar and Exhibit Designer Dave Kemble talk about how they will present a new perspective on the story of Pacific migration through a multiple of avenues that show how cultures of the Pacific are still alive and functioning today. Pacific Hall will re-open on September 21, 2013 ..read more

Join noted author and producer, Sam Low, Ph.D., for an evening lecture covering the traditional Polynesian voyaging techniques employed by the Polynesian Voyaging Society's President and legendary captain, Nainoa Thompson. Sam's new book Hawaiki Rising dwells into Nainoa's process of learning an ancient way of navigating by a world of natural signs ..read more

In this episode, Bishop Museum zoologist Dr. Ken Longenecker was interviewed on Hawai‘i Public Radio. He describes his work on the island of Papua New Guinea ..read more

It has been 90 years since Dr. Kenneth Emory of the Bishop Museum did his ground breaking early work on understanding the mysterious ruins located on the islands of Nihoa and Necker, remotely located to the northwest of the ‘main’ Hawaiian Islands. This presentation will cover the outcomes of a recent ten year dissertation research project (2002-2012) that sought to further understand the archaeology of these two islands and the context these settlements played in traditional Hawaiian society. It focuses on a period of the late expansion phase (A.D. 1400-1650), when formidable changes were und ..read more