Alex and I took part in UQ's
archaeological field school last June
July in Hawaii. We excavated an important dig site, learnt about the natural history
of the islands, met locals and generally
had a fantastic time. You can't learn in
the classroom what you can learn in the
field, and Moloka‘i was an invaluable
experience for me.
It was my first exposure to real
archaeology and I was blown away with
the beauty of the site. Being in a small
group of just 12 students there was a
strong emphasis on teamwork both back at
camp and on the sites. We formed
really close friendships amongst the group
and I'm sure they'll last for years to
come. Our research looked into the
behaviours of ancient Hawaiians and our
findings ultimately uncovered previously
unknown behaviours. Being in my final year
I really wanted to get some field work
experience before going into
postgraduate studies. For me personally I
get to work with the material from
Hawaii in my honours, so I'm constantly
reminded of all the good times we had.
I love archaeology because we have no
control over what we're going to
discover. It's a physical history and one
that always keeps you guessing. This trip
reinforced my desire to craft a career
in archaeology. After spending two and a
half years studying it was great to put
into practice all the things that I had
learnt in that time. Ultimately I'd love
to do a PhD and travel the world
excavating and teaching. This field
school was an incredible, rewarding, and
memorable experience. It was a
transformational two weeks and I will
never forget it and all the people that
I was lucky enough to share it with. UQ
will host another field school this year
and we wholeheartedly encourage you to
take the leap. Explore a history that
dates back 500 years and make memories
that will last you a lifetime.
