38th Annual SHA Conference

September 11-13, 2026 at Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum on O‘ahu

Conference Details

38th Annual SHA Conference, September 11-13, 2026

Schedule Overview

Friday, September 11, 2026: Huaka‘i

Check out all 5 of this year's huaka‘i and register here: https://cbo.io/app/public/bidapp/shaconference2026/tickets/huakai

Friday, September 11, 2026, 6:00 - 9:00 pm: Welcome Reception, Le‘ahi Brewing Company at Aloha Tower, Honolulu (complimentary pupu, beer, and wine)

Saturday, September 12, 2026, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm: Keynote, Papers and Presentations, Annual SHA Membership Meeting, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Kapālama (continental breakfast, coffee service, and lunch included)

Saturday, September 12, 2026, 6:00 - 9:00 pm: ‘Aha ‘Āina and Awards Presentations, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Kapālama (dinner and beverages provided)

Sunday, September 13, 2026, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm: Papers and Presentations, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Kapālama (continental breakfast, coffee service, and lunch included)

About the Conference

This year’s conference theme is:

Hahai nō ka ua i ka ululā‘au “The rain follows the forest”

An ‘ōlelo no‘eau emphasizing the relationship between forests and the systems they sustain. With this theme, we are reminded that growth and abundance follow where care, foundation, and stewardship already exist, and this year’s conference theme speaks to the relationship between preservation and innovation in archaeology.

About the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology

The Society for Hawaiian Archaeology was established in 1980 to:

Promote and stimulate interest and research in the archaeology of the Hawaiian Islands
Encourage a more rational public appreciation of the aims and limitations of archaeological research
Serve as a bond among those interested in Hawaiian archaeology, both professionals and non-professionals, and aid in directing their efforts into more scientific channels as well as encourage the publication of their results
Advocate and assist in the conservation of archaeological data
Discourage unethical commercialism in the archaeological field and work for its elimination.

SHA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Our Sponsors

Mahalo nui loa to our wonderful sponsors!

2026-2027 SHA Membership Info

At the General Meeting of the Membership on October 19, 2024, the membership voted to change the SHA "membership year" to Oct. 1 – Sept. 30. The next membership year (2027) will start October 1, 2026.

To sign up for a membership or renew your membership please visit: https://hawaiianarchaeology.app.neoncrm.com/forms/9.

If you are a current member and would like to renew your membership for the 2027 membership year, please visit the membership portal link above. If this is your first time logging into SHA's membership portal, please set up a login by entering the email registered with SHA (the one where you receive SHA listserv emails) and select "recover account". When your account is set up, please consider signing up for auto-renewal (Note: auto-renewal is only available if paying by credit card).

If you are not a current (2026) member and would like to purchase a membership, please follow the membership link above to the membership portal. Exit out of the login pop-up window and follow the prompts to sign up. If you are signing up for a membership today, you will automatically become a member for the 2027 membership year starting October 1, 2026.

Please contact membership@hawaiianarchaeology.org if you have any questions on the membership levels, seek clarification on your membership status, or need assistance with registration.

For companies and institutions that would like to do bulk conference registration and membership for their staff, please reach out to membership@hawaiianarchaeology.org for instructions.