HAWAIIAN ROCK ART - KONANE GAME BOARDS:

Konane game board. Papamu, Big Island, Hawaii.

Photograph: Douglas Beauchamp, 2009.

On Dec. 1, 2010, I had posted a column about a rock art site on the Hawaiian island of Oahu that has a grouping of pits in its upper surface that are considered to be a game board, not a piko stone. This site, named Pohaku Ka Luahine, is found in Moanalua valley and consists of a large round boulder. It is densly pecked with lines and figures as well as the game board. On Dec. 23, 2012, I mentioned it again in the context of game boards in rock art. I could not really distinguish the grid of pits of the konane game board on the top of the boulder due to lighting conditions and the somewhat eroded nature of the boulder so I included a somewhat problematical field sketch from Ancient Sites of Oahu, Revised by Van James (2010: p.50). Konane is described as a checkers-like game played with black and white pebbles by Hawaiians and examples have reportedly been found with one hundred or more pits pecked into boulders. 

Konane game board. Papamu, Big Island, Hawaii.

Photograph: Douglas Beauchamp, 2009

After that column was posted I received a communication from Douglas Beauchamp of Eugene, Oregon, who enclosed three photos of boulders with probable konane game boards from Hawaii, the Big Island, that he had taken in 2009. These photos are much more effective at illustrating what a carved stone konane game board looks like.

Konane game board. Papamu, Big Island, Hawaii.

Photograph: Douglas Beauchamp, 2009

Douglas is also participating in a photographic exhibit that sounds absolutely fascinating. The exhibit ARCHAIC PETROGLYPHS IN OREGON COUNTRY is scheduled to be held at the Jacobs Gallery of the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in Eugene, Oregon, from January 25 to March 16, 2013. There is also an accompanying symposium on rock art scheduled. For details go to http://www.jacobsgallery.org/exhibits/next-exhibit/ . Douglas, thank you for the photos and the information.

REFERENCES:

Beauchamp, Douglas

James, Van

2010   Ancient Sites of Oahu, Revised, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.