People
Two horsemen on the road at Kalawao, ca late 1800s.
Hawaii State Archives.
Two tragedies occurred on the Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north shore of the island of Moloka`i; the first was the removal of indigenous people in 1865 and 1895, the second was the forced isolation of sick people to this remote place from 1866 until 1969. The removal of Hawaiians from where they had lived for 900 years cut the cultural ties and associations of generations of people with the `aina (land). The establishment of an isolation settlement, first at Kalawao and then at Kalaupapa, tore apart Hawaiian society as the kingdom, and subsequently, the territory of Hawai`i tried to control a feared disease. The impact of broken connections with the `aina and of family members "lost" to Kalaupapa are still felt in Hawai`i today. |
Did You Know?
The Kalaupapa peninsula and nearby valleys are extremely rich in archeological resources. Most of the sites are intact and very well preserved due to the lack of development as seen on other neighboring islands.
Mother Marianne
Hansen's Disease
Na Kokua --