Consistency and Variation in the Focus, Intensity and Archaeological Histories of Lapita and post-Lapita Fisheries in Ha’apai, Kingdom of Tonga

Abstract

We present the results of an analysis of fish bones recovered from five sites in the Ha’apai group of islands in central Tonga. The sites, first occupied in the initial Lapita phase (ca. 2770-2700 cal BP), with continuous settlement into the present, occur in similar geographic contexts. Recovery and analysis was also consistent for all assemblages. Observed variability between sites and over time therefore emphasizes the complexity of Pacific Island fisheries. We argue there is no basis for accepting any single interpretation of results based on fishing strategies, technologies, human-induced environmental impacts or social considerations. Instead, we favour explanations based on minor differences in human population sizes and subtle variations in the environmental productivity of marine resources between locations and over time. We conclude that Lapita fishing in Ha’apai is consistent with opportunistic foraging, and agree with Leach and Davidson (2000) and others that the role and relative importance of Pacific Island fishing needs to be considered within the wider context of a much broader range of subsistence options. Methodologically, our results emphasize the importance of fine-meshed screening combined with controlled wet-screening, and the value of basing inter-site and cross-temporal comparisons on the density of fish bones per volume of excavated matrix.

Keywords:

• fisheries, Tonga, intensification, resource selection, Lapita, Plainware

Acknowledgements

Burley acknowledges and is grateful for a SSHRC grant (1995–1997) through which the Ha'apai site excavations were undertaken. He also thanks staff in the Prime Minister’s Office, Nuku'alofa, as well as the Vi family in Pangai, Lifuka, Ha'apai, for their support in project endeavors. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for their thorough comments and suggestions, which allowed us to clarify the presentation.

Notes

1 Before 1997, Aubrey Cannon and Debbi Yee Cannon had had no experience in the identification of tropical reef fish bones, though each had and continues to have extensive experience in the identification of fish remains from the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America (A. Cannon 1991; D. Cannon 1987). Roxanne Wildenstein, an M.A. student at McMaster University, received her training from Aubrey Cannon, and conducted her analyses under his supervision. She had access to the same comparative reference collections used throughout the analysis.

2 Wildenstein’s ongoing analysis of the fish assemblage from the site of Hopoate on Fanga ‘Uta Lagoon, on Tongatapu (Burley 2016) shows a similar proportional increase in Acanthuridae and decline in Lethrinidae over time. The proportion of Acanthuridae at Hopoate, however, is far below that of any site or period in Ha’apai, while the proportion of Lethrinidae, despite declining over time, remains well above levels in Ha’apai.