Few places in the world better illustrate the human capacity for endurance or for charity than the remote Kalaupapa Peninsula, on the island of Moloka’i. The area achieved notoriety in 1865 when the Kingdom of Hawai`i instituted a century-long policy of forced segregation of persons afflicted with Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy. The Legislative Assembly had passed, and King Kamehameha V approved, “An Act to Prevent the Spread of Leprosy” to set apart land to seclude people believed capable of spreading the disease.But why was this place chosen to isolate people with and seemingly incurable illness? Foremost, the Kalaupapa Peninsula was isolated and fairly inaccessible. To the south, the peninsula was cut off from the rest of Moloka`i by a sheer pali, or cliff about 2,000 feet high. The ocean surrounded the east, north and west sides. In good weather, landings were only practical at Kalaupapa and Kalawao; both inhabited by Hawaiians.
Once the decision was made, and the law passed, the government proceeded to purchase lands and move the Hawaiian residents to other homes. The village of Kalawao on the isolated Kalaupapa Peninsula thus became home to thousands of leprosy victims subsequently moved here from throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
Early Kalawao, with the line of cliffs in the background.
What's Happening Now | Planning Your Visit | Quick Facts | Kalaupapa ParkNet Page
