Browse Exhibits (2 total)
Dr. Kikuchi, William K. (William Kenji) 1935-2003 is well known for his contributions to historic preservation on Kauai and the understanding of Native Hawaiian fishponds. However, lesser-known is the research and time that he spent journeying through and learning in American Samoa.
Understanding the time Dr. Kikuchi spent in Samoa begins with examining his academic and professional affiliations during the 1960s. His early career in archaeology began at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum where he first voluneteered in the archaeology department from 1959 to 1961. Following this, he served as an Assistant Archaeologist and a Fellow in Anthropology at the museum during the years 1964 to 1967. Additionally, in 1963, Dr. Kikuchi graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with his master’s in archaeology. He successfully defended his master’s thesis in what, according to archival records, appears to either be a survey of Samoan archaeology sites in American Samoa or a survey of place names respectively.
Dr. Kikuchi made several trips to American Samoa. Archival records from the Kikuchi Center indicate that he participated in archaeology site surveys and research for his thesis and with the Bishop Museum from circa 1961 to the end of 1962, and made several return trips through the 70s as well. These journeys resulted in the production of 2 published articles on Samoan petroglyphs, field note journals documenting the journey and findings of interest, documents and original drawings on Samoan adze analysis, surveys and original drawings of Samoan Star Mounds, and culturally rich images that Dr. Kikuchi took during his visits there.
This exhibit highlights several items from these categories, showing his contributions to the understanding of Samoa at the time he experienced it, Samoan archaeology, and provides a glimpse into visually stunning Samoa through the still images he captured.
This is a collection of 58 vintage postcards collected by Dr. Kikuchi circa 1972. They feature sites around the island of Kauai including historic images of Coco Palms at Wailua, the Alekoko "Menehune" fishpond in Niumalu, and the historical Kauai Surf Hotel.