The Wahi Kūpuna Internship Program was launched in 2010 with support and funding from Kamehameha Schools. The primary goal of this internship program is to increase the number of Native Hawaiians and Kama‘āina in the field of Cultural Resource Management (CRM) through scientific and cultural mentoring, professional development, education and applied field experiences. Since 2010, the program has mentored numerous haumāna through conducting community based research on and off of Kamehameha Schools legacy lands through out the paeʻāina.
ETHNOHISTORICAL RESEARCH Ethnohistorical information provides the kahua or foundation for understanding the natural, cultural, and historical background to place.
COMMUNITY ETHNOGRAPHY Community ethnography involves conducting ethnographic interviews with kūpaʻāina to acknowledge and document their historical and contemporary connections to place.
ʻĀINA BASED FIELD WORK ʻĀina based fieldwork, which includes archaeological field methods is an important component of CRM, helping us better understand how our kūpuna utilized their resources to thrive in unique environments.
ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Academic and Professional Development includes showcasing a variety of career paths in CRM, meeting cultural resource managers at various agencies & levels of management, presenting at a professional conference, and writing a research report.