| Abstract: |
In the Society Islands, ceremonial sites called marae have been under archaeological observation and investigation for about 80 years. In this paper I explore how these ceremonial sites are used in modern times and how different kinds of factors and events change the structures. Observations and photographs from different time periods show that these structures have changed through both natural processes and human actions. A striking fact is that the most radical change of certain main structures in the Leeward Society Islands is due to archaeological reconstruction, sometimes based on quite far-reaching interpretations. Marae structures are also still in use by different groups, with different interests. Tourists and local people, both in groups and individuals, visit the sites. Indigenous people also use the sites when they feel the need for religious revival, as well as youths daubing the stones with graffiti. And finally, these remains have, for the last 80 years, been used in different ways by archaeologists. Future archaeological researchers have to be aware of the changes due to different modern uses of these sturctures, especially when interpreting them. Re-survey is necessary at some exposed sites to document these continuous processes.
|
