Where: University of Hawaii at Manoa, Architecture Building auditorium Room 205

When: Feb. 16-18, 2008, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

What: The UH Marine Option Program’s 19th annual Symposium on Maritime Archaeology and History of Hawaii and the Pacific

Point of Contact: Symposium organizer Jeff Kuwabara (808) 956-8433 kuwabara@hawaii.edu

On this coming President’s Day weekend the University of Hawaii is hosting the 19th annual Symposium on Maritime Archaeology and History of Hawaii and the Pacific. This special event brings together professional historians, archaeologists, students, and the public to celebrate Hawaii’s diverse maritime history and recent discoveries from the underwater world.

Conference themes for this year focus on the history of maritime industries in Hawaii, and ongoing research projects in the Hawaiian Islands.

Featured speakers include:

• Chris Kelley and Terry Kerby of Hawaii’s Undersea Research Laboratory, discussing deep water shipwrecks and aircraft discovered during manned-submersible missions;
• Film maker Paul Atkins talking about the making of the blockbuster “Master and Commander”;
• Nathan Richards presenting the results of the recent shipwreck survey of the tall ship Ivanhoe on the island of Kauai;
• Susan Lebo discussing the trade in Hawaiian feathered capes during the Kingdom of Hawaii;
• Hans Van Tilburg giving an update on the discovery of the schooner Churchill at French Frigate Shoals;
• Roy Catalani on the history of Hawaiian Tug and Barge Young Brothers
• …and many more.

Two days of plenary presentations (Saturday and Sunday) will be followed by the conference banquet and a field trip excursion (Monday). The public are welcome. Registration for the full conference is only $50; single-day attendance only $30. For details contact conference organizer Jeff Kuwabara at (808) 956-8433, email manoamop@hawaii.edu , or see http://www.hawaii.edu/mop/mahhi/. Come dive into Hawaii’s maritime past and celebrate our unique ties to the sea!