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Puʻupehe is an islet located on the South side of the Lānaʻi moku (refer to the star).

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Puʻupehe Platform Rock viewed from Mānele Bay, Lānaʻi (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2019a).

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Puʻupehe Islet viewed from Kapihaʻā village shoreline, Lānaʻi (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2019a).

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Puʻupehe is about 1.1 acres and 50 feet in elevation off the shore of Lānaʻi. It is also called Sweetheart Rock (Ulukau, n.d.).

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Puʻupehe is an islet just off shore of Lānaʻi. The islet has a flat top and loose blocks of basalt with soil pockets. Puʻupehe has a heiau on the top and is mostly dry grass and shrubland. It is not open to the public for visitation as it is now a sanctuary for seabirds (Department of Land and Natural Resources, 2021).

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ʻĪao is located of the Mokupuni of Maui in the on the Pūʻali Komohana moku, on the mokupuni of Maui, and within the ahupuaʻa of Wailuku (refer to the star).

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ʻĪao Valley from Wailuku in the 1900s (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2019b).

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"The main attraction at ʻĪao Valley is Kūkaemoku, a 1,200-foot green-mantled rock outcropping that overlooks ʻĪao Stream"(Allen et al., 2020).

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The sun used to move too quickly across the sky for anything to be done during the day. This made things like preparing and cooking food and drying kapa difficult due to little sunlight. Māui, the demigod, noticed his mother had a difficult time drying her kapa, which is used to make clothing and bedding, due to the lack of sunlight. Māui decided to slow the sun down by climbing on top of the ridges at ʻĪao Valley to track the sun (National Park Service, 2022a).

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The moʻolelo of Maui plays a large role in this park being named Haleakalā- house of the sun.
Painting by Paul Rockwood

Māui Snaring the Sun

The Māui myths are known to many cultures throughout the pacific. His most famous deeds include fishing up islands, obtaining fire, and snaring the sun. The version told here in Hawaiʻi of Māui capturing and slowing ka lā (the sun) involves Hale-a-ka-lā, the house-of-the-sun. The natural phenomena of the sun's movement across the sky is explained in the Hawaiian mo'olelo of Māui snaring the sun.

Long ago the sun ran quickly across the sky. There was hardly any time to prepare and cook food, and even a prayer to the gods could not be finished before darkness fell. Māui's mother Hina had trouble drying her kapa, the bark-cloth that was the only source of clothing and bedding in Hawaiʻi. Kapa is created from the bark of the wauke plant, beaten and processed. Before it can be worn it must be dried in the sun, and the sun passed over so quickly that by the time Hina had laid it all out, it was dark and she had to gather them back up again.

Māui decided to make the sun go slower, so he climbed to the top of the ridges of Iao valley to track the path of the sun. He saw that the sun came up the eastern side of Haleakalā, and crossing the plain and climbing the mountain he watched the sun come up from Koʻolau, and passed over the top of the mountain. After figuring out the path of the sun Māui returned to his mother Hina and told her of his plan to slow down the sun. She gave him fifteen strong cords and told him to find the place where a large wiliwili tree grows on Haleakalā, that is where his grandmother lives, and the sun stops there to eat bananas cooked by his grandmother. He must wait until the rooster crows three times, and when his grandmother comes out to prepare the bananas, he must steal them.

When she looks for them she will find him, and when he identifies himself as the son of Hina she will help him.Māui climbed back up Haleakalā to Kaupō and found the wiliwili tree. After the rooster crowed he saw his grandmother come out with a bunch of bananas. She laid them down as she went about her preparations, and Māui stole the bananas easily, as his grandmother was blind. When she reached for them and found them gone she cried out, and though blind she sniffed around and scented a man, asking who was there. Māui replied that he was the son of Hina, and he'd come to kill the sun for going too fast that the kapa Hina made did not have time to dry out.

His grandmother gave him another cord, and a stone for an adze, and gave him instructions for how to capture the sun. Māui hid by the wiliwili tree to wait for the sun to arrive. As the sun's legs came into view Maui snared them one by one. When the sun realized what was happening it tried to go back down the mountain into the sea, but Māui tied the cords to the wiliwili tree and hauled the sun back up. Māui struck the sun with the adze until the sun begged for it's life, promising to go slower.

Pele- Ka wahine 'ai honua (The earth-eating woman)

The rocks that you see here at Haleakalā are not just clusters of minerals created over millions of years by lava. To the Hawaiians, these rocks are the physical form of one of the most respected goddesses in the Hawaiian culture, the volcano goddess Pele. Pele is both praised and feared by the people of Hawai'i. She may destroy everything in her path, but Pele is also a creator of lands. Pele has many kino lau (forms) and one of them is the lava that bleeds from the earth. You can see Pele in action today at Halema'uma'u crater on Kīlauea.

Pele is the creator and destroyer of lands and is respected and feared by many. Pele voyaged from the distant land of Kahiki southeast to the Hawaiian Islands in search of a permanent home.

Throughout her travel she faced many trials including conflict between her sister Namakaokahaʻi. Eventually Pele settled at the Halemaʻumaʻu crater on Kīlauea. Pele has many kino lau (forms) one being a woman and another being the lava that bleeds from the earth.

Every year many visitors take pieces of Pele from Hawai'i, which to the Hawaiians is disrespectful. In honor of the Hawaiian culture, please do not take rocks or cinder from Haleakalā National Park. It is also against the law to remove anything from a National Park.

Walter Pu and Kumu Tafa with a waʻa (canoe) carved by Tafa at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park on Hawaiʻi Island
NPS Photo

Menehune and Laka

One day a child Laka-a-wahieloa was born in Kīpahulu to a chief named Wahieloa and his wife Hinahawea. They adored their son, and some years later Wahieloa went to Hawaiʻi to acquire a toy for his son and was killed in a cave called Keana-a-Kaualehu.

Laka began asking for his father, and his mother sent him to his grandmother, who told him that his father went to Hawaiʻi, and was thought to be dead. Laka then asked how he could go and search for his father .His grandmother replied, "Go to the mountains and look for the tree that has leaves shaped like the moon on the night of Hilo, or Hoaka; such is the tree for a canoe." Laka followed this advice, and went to the mountains to find the tree for his canoe. Finding a good one, he cut in the morning, and by sundown he had felled it to the ground. This accomplished, he went home. The next day he could not find his fallen tree as it had been placed upright. So he cut down another, with the same result. Laka was thus tricked for several days. He went to the mountains again and found the desired tree, but before cutting it he dug a big hole on the side and upon cutting the tree it fell right into the hole or trench, as designed; then he jumped into it and lay in waiting for the person tricking him.

He sang a song to Akua and when it ended there was a hum and noise and the forest filled with a band of people, who tried to lift the tree; but it would not move. Laka then jumped out from his place of hiding and caught hold of two of the men and threatened to kill them. One of the men, Mokuhalii, told Laka that if they were killed, nobody would be able to make a canoe or hew it to the beach for him, but if they were spared they would willingly do so. In return Laka would build a big and long shed (halau) to hold the canoe, and prepare food for the men. Laka agreed, released them, and returned to his home and built the halau. When he went to the woods he saw the canoe complete. The Menehune told Laka that it would he brought to the halau that night. Late at night the hum of the voices of the Menehunes was heard; this was the commencement of the lifting of the canoe. It was not dragged, but held up by hand. At the third hum the canoe was carefully laid down in the halau. Food and fish were there spread out for the workers. At dawn the Menehune returned to their home. It is said that Laka's hole remains.

Story adapted from "Laka's Adventure" in Hawaiian Folk Tales, by Thomas G. Thrum.

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Deities - Haleakalā National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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The Māui myths are known to many cultures throughout the pacific. His most famous deeds include fishing up islands, obtaining fire, and snaring the sun. The version told here in Hawaiʻi of Māui capturing and slowing ka lā (the sun) involves Hale-a-ka-lā, the house-of-the-sun.

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During the reign of Kahekili as king of Maui in 1776, ailuku was invaded by Kalaniopuʻu (his brother-in-law and the king of Hawaiʻi.) Alapa, the Hawaii regiment, was send by Kalaniopuʻu to take Wailuku and "to drink off the waters of ʻĪao." However, the Alapa were defeated by the forces in Maui and only two out of eight hundred escaped and were spared by Kahekili. In 1790, Kamehameha, the king of Hawaiʻi, invaded Wailuku to avenge the defeat of the Alapa. The battle began in Wailuku and extended to ʻĪao Valley and the Maui troops were defeated. There is said to be so many bodies that the bodies dammed the waters of ʻĪao, this battle is known as Kepaniwai, the dammed waters  (Nakuina, 1904, pp. 59–60).

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Hawaii, its people, their legends : Nakuina, Emma M. (Emma Metcalf) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

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During the battle "The Many Canoes" and "Clawed off the cliff" Kamehameha and his chiefs went to Wailuku after Kapakahili was defeated. From Kahului to Hopukoa, the shores were filled with canoes from the war. There was two days of fist fighting and Kamehameha had brought cannons and pushed his opponents up in ʻĪao then fired the cannons from Kaweloweloʻula into ʻĪao, defeating them in battle by killing many commoners and as they attempted to crawl up the cliffs they were slain. (Kamakau, 1992a, pp. 69, 148–149).

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Many chiefs are known to be buried at ʻĪao. According to Kamakau (1992a, pp. 69, 148–149), when Chief Kekaulike passed in Maui, the chiefs cut the flesh from his bones to make it easier to carry his body to ʻĪao for his burial.

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Hānaiakamalamaka is located on the mokupuni of Oʻahu, on the Kona moku, and within the Honolulu ahupuaʻa (refer to the star).

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Hānaiakamalama in 1875 (Daughters of Hawaiʻi, n.d.).

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Hānaiakamalama (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2023).

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Queen Emma Summer Palace Parlor (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2023).

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Parlor of Hānaiakamalama (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2023).

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Hānaiakamalama was possibly built in 1847 by H.A. Pierce (Ulukau, n.d.).

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In the Sites of Oahu, much of Kamehameha IV and Queen Emmaʻs time was spent at Hānaiakamalama, this was where they were able to relax and be secluded from the formalities that come along with being rulers of a kingdom. In 1869, a banquet was held at Hānaiakamalama for the Duke of Edinburgh while his visit to the Hawaiian Islands. Before the battle of Nuʻuanu, Kamehameha met with John Young II where the museum currently stands. When John Young II bought the property, he named it Hānaiakamalama "foster child of the God, Kamalama to honor an aliʻi (Sterling & Summers, 1978, pp. 300–302).

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Hānaiakamalama was built for John G. Lewis and sold in 1850 to John Young II. In 1857, John Young II, the grandfather of Queen Emma and advisor of Kamehameha I, left the house to Queen Emma in his will. In 1885, after Queen Emmaʻs passing, Hānaiakamalama was sold to the government five years later. In 1911, the house was going to be demolished until the Daughters of Hawaiʻi decided to make the house into a museum to display Queen Emmaʻs artifacts (Hibbard, 2018).

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Hānaiakamalama was the summer palace of Queen Emma between 1857-1885. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and is now a historic landmark and museum run by the Daughters of Hawaiʻi (Hawaii State Parks, n.d.).

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The Daughters of Hawaiʻi saved Hānaiakamalama from being demolished and was founded in 1903. The women which make up the organization are descendants of people who lives in Hawaiʻi before 1880. The mission of their organization is to "perpetuate the emory and spirit of Old Hawaiʻi and of historic artifacts, and to preserve the nomenclature and correct punctuation of the Hawaiian language" (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2023). They strive to preserve artifacts from Queen Emma and Kamehameha IV along with other monarchs. Hānaiakamalama has artifacts from not only Queen Emma, but also Prince Albert, Queen Liliʻuokalani, etc. including clothes, ahuʻula, Prince Albertʻs jade dipped bath from an emperor, etc.

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Kalaupapa is located on the Molokaʻi mokupuni, on the moku of Koʻolau, and Kalaupapa ahupuaʻa (refer to the star).

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Gerry Miyamoto and Shad Kane refurbished about 30 kāhili from Hānaiakamalama. On January 2, 2012, they presented Kāhili Hānaiakamalama in honor of Queen Emma 176th birthday ceremony held at Hānaiakamalama as a symbol of her presence in the home. Both Gerry Miyamoto, Shad Kane, Eric Matanane, and Tina Aiu are the founders of the group Nā Kiamanu o Hānaiakamalama (The Feather Gatherers of Hānaiakamalama) and have made it a mission to bring back the ancient practice(Papakilo, 2012). They  explain the significance of different bird feathers, when our kupuna gathered feathers, and protocol.

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Kalaupapa penninsula on the island of Molokaʻi circa 1888 (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2022).

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Kalauapapa on Molokaʻi has a three mile cliff trail with 26 switchbacks. It begins 1,664 feet above sea level in Palaʻau State Park and goes to ʻAwahua Beach. It is one of several dive sites on the leeward side. There is also a small harbor on the Southside and twice a year supplies for the village are delivered. In 1967, a 144-foot-long rubble mound breakwater, turning basin, and entrance channel through the reef were created. Broad, low basaltic shield volcano became a peninsula when lava from Kauhakō Crater flowed against the great sea cliffs of the Eastside of Molokaʻi. It consists of three land divisions Kalaupapa, Makanalua, and Kalawao. In 1866, the Board of Health used Kalaupapa as a site for exiled leprosy patients (Ulukau, n.d.).

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Archaeological and carbon-dating evidence suggests that the first settlement of people in Kalaupapa dates back to between 800 and 1200. The Kalaupapa Field System has a grid of rain-fed plots with built low stone walls to shelter the food bring grown from the wind. Findings also suggest that there was early agricultural development and the Kalaupapa Field System was possibly built before European contact (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2019c).

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Moʻokini Heiau is located on the Kohala moku on the mokupuni of Hawaiʻi (refer to the star).

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Video of Moʻokini Heiau, a registered national historic landmark. Mahealani Lum, a direct descendant of the Moʻokini lineage, said it was built in 480 A.D. in one night from sunset to the first light of the morning. The Moʻokini Heiau was a luakini (sacrificial) heiau built for Kūkā'ilimoku (the war god). It was used to ensure victory in battles and the amount of people sacrificed was dependent on the amount of people they planned to battle (Big Island TV, Hawaii, 2015).

*Note of my personal manaʻo: I was taught that we need to reconstruct our thinking of heiau being kapu and to avoid these places. Yes, some were used for luakini but in these times this was the spiritual practices of our culture. Pohaku are our kupuna, we should not be afraid of them, we should continue to share their moʻolelo and their use in our history. Instead of avoiding these places, we should visit and acknowledge the history and significance these places hold.

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Mookini Heiau and Kamehameha birthsite, Kohala

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Moʻokini is a large heiau with 30-foot-high walls creating a rectangle which is about 250 by 125 feet in size. This heiau is considered the only heiau in Hawaiʻi which has continuous guardianship of the Moʻokini lineage. In 1963, it became Hawaiʻiʻs first national landmark (Ulukau, n.d.).

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The heiau is also said to be built by Pāʻao. First he built a heiau for his god Ahaʻula then went to Kohala and built the Moʻokini heiau (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2018).

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In The Epic Tale of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele, upon their journey to set sail for Maui, Hiʻiaka and her friend, Wahineʻōmaʻo, marched until they were near Maliu. They then seen a great billow of dust rising from the road that goes down into Honoipu. Hiʻiaka turned and asked her friend, Wahineʻōmaʻo "Do you see that could have dust rising directly before us?" Wahineʻōmaʻo replied, "I see it rising like a billow. What is it from?" Hiʻiaka replied, "That is the head of Moʻokini moving up this way toward us. Its body is there by the sea of Kapakai." Both of them then travelled until they neared Maliu, going down through the rocky fields on the path that led straight to Kukuipahu. Then she heard the call of a voice, "O Hiʻiaka! Grant me a chant and it will be my salvation, O Hiʻiakaikapoliopele!" Wahineʻōmaʻo asked Hiʻiaka, "Who is that calling out to us?" and Hiʻiaka replied, "It was Moʻokini, beckoning us." Wahineʻōmaʻo proceeded to ask, "And what are your thoughts about this call?" Hiʻiaka replied, "What indeed? The intent of what we heard is good. She requests that we give a chant of supplication, so what reason could there be for us to restrain the voice, since we have been asked? It is only proper to give one." Hiʻiaka offered up a chant and when she was finished, they left for Kukuipahu (Hoʻoulumāhiehie et al., 2006a, pp. 115, 118).

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The Battle of Hāpuʻu between Kamehamehaʻs army of 2,000 warriors (including Keʻeaumoku) and Kahekiliʻs warriors led by Manonoikauakāpekulani took place in about 1785. Kamehameha retaliated toward their invasion of Kohala and the battles lasted two days. Kamehamehaʻs warriors defeated Kahekiliʻs warriors and Manonoikauakāpekulani was offered as a sacrifice to the Moʻokini heiau (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2016).

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Kalihi hospital was the first hospital that opened in 1865 for leprosy patients. In 1891, Kapiʻolani Home opened in Kalihi Kai. In January of 1883, Walter Gibson the Minister of Foreign Affairs and president of the Board of Health, appealed to Hermann Koeckemann (Bishop of Olba, head of the Catholic Mission in Hawaiʻi) to bring the Sisters of Charity to care for the girls and women with leprosy in Hawaiʻi. Father Leonor travelled and petitioned for more than 50 different sisterhoods to come from the Franciscan Convent of St. Anthony at Syracuse, New York. After a long debate, Mother Marianne Cope shared "I am hungry for the work and I wish with all my heart to be one of the chosen Ones, whose privilege it will be, to sacrifice themselves for the salvation of the souls of the poor Islanders… I am not afraid of any disease, hence it would be my greatest delight even to minister to the abandoned ‘lepers." Mother Marianne was later able to everyoneʻs cooperation after they have voiced their concerns about going to Kalaupapa. Six sisters (Sister M Bonaventure Caraher, Sister Crescentia Eilers, Sister Ludovica Gibbons, Sister M Rosalia McLaughlin, Sister Renata Nash and Sister Mary Antonella Murphy) went with Mother Marianne on October 23, 1883 and arrived on Hawaiʻiʻs shores on November 9th. On November 9, 1885, the girls living in Kalawao moved into Kapiʻolani Home on the grounds of the sisters’ convent at the Kaka’ako Branch Hospital. In 1885, a second group of sisters arrived. The sisters gave the girls proper clothes and taught them embroidery, sewing and gardening. They  gave them music lessons and tried to make their lives as normal as possible on Molokaʻi. Upon the death of Damien on April 15, 1998, Mother Marianne also headed the Boys Home at Kalawao (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2022).

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Appropriately, we read a lot about the good work of Father Damien and Mother Marianne (both, now Saints.) But we don't seem to hear of the many others who worked with them in ministering to those in need.

Here, we look at only a few (some of the earliest Sisters that worked with Mother Marianne,) and the hard work and hardship they endured.

The first shipment of lepers landed at Kalawao (Kalaupapa) January 6, 1866, the beginning of segregation and banishment of lepers to the leper settlement.

Receiving and detention centers were established on Oʻahu. Kalihi Hospital was the first hospital for leprosy patients in Hawaiʻi opening in 1865. Kapiʻolani Home opened in Kalihi Kai in 1891 adjacent to the Kalihi Hospital and Receiving Station; Kalihi Plague Camp (1900-1912) and Meyers Street, Kalihi Uka (1912-1938.) (NPS)

In January 1883, Walter Gibson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and president of the Board of Health, appealed to Hermann Koeckemann, Bishop of Olba, head of the Catholic Mission in Hawai'i, to obtain Sisters of Charity from one of the many sisterhoods in the US to come and help care for leprous women and girls in the Islands.

Father Leonor Fouesnel, with a royal commission from King Kalākaua, was designated as agent to go on this mission. Landing in San Francisco and traveling East, Father Leonor petitioned more than fifty different sisterhoods before a favorable reply was obtained, from the Franciscan Convent of St Anthony at Syracuse, New York.

The reply to the King's emissary was not made lightly, but only after a long, serious debate among the sisterhood. One of the prime supporters of this action was the Mother Superior, Mother Marianne Cope. (Greene; NPS)

"I am hungry for the work and I wish with all my heart to be one of the chosen Ones, whose privilege it will be, to sacrifice themselves for the salvation of the souls of the poor Islanders... I am not afraid of any disease, hence it would be my greatest delight even to minister to the abandoned 'lepers.'" (Mother Marianne; NPS)

Mother Marianne consulted with all the sisters and, to her credit they felt free to voice their concerns. Responded one: "I am very honest with you. I am afraid. I have heard too much about these poor people. I heard also that there are no rules and regulations. That everyone does as he pleases."

Another stated: "If it is not a suitable place for any woman how can it be for the Sisters." (NPS) With calmness, good sense, firmness, and a kind heart she was able to get cooperation from all around her. Her religious life was a series of administrative appointments, culminating in her being placed in charge of missions in Hawai'i.

Only six sisters could be spared to go with Mother Marianne, who insisted that as superior of the convent it was her duty to go with the first group of sisters and help them get established. It was not the intent of the convent that she stay in Hawai'i permanently. (Greene; NPS)

On October 23, 1883, Mother Marianne and her companions set off for Hawai'i, arriving on November 9. These were: Sister M Bonaventure Caraher, Sister Crescentia Eilers, Sister Ludovica Gibbons, Sister M Rosalia McLaughlin, Sister Renata Nash and Sister Mary Antonella Murphy.

Three of the sisters and Mother Marianne went to work at the branch hospital for leprosy victims at Kaka'ako in Honolulu on January 11, 1884, and spent almost five years there. Three others were put in charge of the new hospital at Wailuku on the island of Maui.

"For us it is happiness to be able to comfort, in a measure, the poor exiles, and we rejoice that we are unworthy agents of our heavenly Father through whom He deigns to show His great love and mercy to the sufferers." (Mother Marianne, 1884)

Queen Kapi'olani had visited Kalaupapa in 1884 to learn how she could assist those who were diagnosed with leprosy and exiled there, and she raised the funds to build the Kapiʻolani Home for Girls. (KCC) She and others also recognized the need for a home for the non-infected children of the leprosy patients.

On November 9, 1885, the healthy girls living in Kalawao moved into Kapiʻolani Home on the grounds of the sisters' convent at the Kaka'ako Branch Hospital. (Hawaii Catholic Herald)

On April 22, 1885, a second group of sisters arrived from Syracuse as reinforcements. This included Sister Leopoldina Burns, Sister Carolina Hoffmann, Sister Martha Kaiser and Sister Benedicta Rodenmacher. Shortly after, Sister Antonia Brown, Sister M. Vincentia McCormick, Sister M. Irena Schorp and Sister Ephrem Schillinger. (More came later.)

News continually filtered back to Kaka'ako about conditions at the Moloka'i settlement. The children on the island were in desperate need of care and the venerable Father Damien himself had been diagnosed as having leprosy and obviously had few years left in which to continue his work.

Mother Marianne, however, was being kept busy in Honolulu all this time. At one point she had suggested to Walter Gibson that a home for children of leprous parents be built near the sisters' residence in Honolulu. This establishment opened in November 1885 as the Kapiʻolani Home for Girls. (Green; NPS)

Then, Mother Marianne Cope and Sisters Leopoldina Burns and Vincentia McCormick of the Third Order of St. Francis, Sisters of Charity arrived on November 14, 1888. They managed the Charles R Bishop Home for Unprotected Leper Girls and Women, which opened at Kalaupapa in 1888. (NPS)

Sister Leopoldina describes the place: "One could never imagine what a lonely barren place it was. Not a tree nor a shrub in the whole Settlement only in the churchyard there were a few poor little trees that were so bent and yellow by the continued sweep of the birning wind it would make one sad to look at them." (Voices of Kaulapapa; SanDiego-gov)

While there was no cure for the residents of Molokai, the sisters tried to bring dignity to their lives. Before the sisters arrived, patients dressed in rags. The sisters gave the girls proper clothes and taught them embroidery, sewing and gardening. They also gave them music lessons.

Father Damien himself succumbed to leprosy on April 15, 1889. Upon the death of Damien, Mother Marianne agreed to also head the Boys Home at Kalawao. The Board of Health had quickly chosen her as Saint Damien's successor and she was thus enabled to keep her promise to him to look after his boys.

A traveler on a steamer that later (May, 1889) brought Sisters Crescentia and Irene to Kalaupapa noted, "When I was pulled ashore one early morning there sat with me in the boat two sisters bidding farewell (in humble imitation of Damien) to the lights and joys of human life. One wept silently and I could not withhold myself from joining her." (The Messenger)

The workload was extremely heavy in that Bishop Home alone provided shelter for 103 girls in 1893. There were times when the burden seemed overwhelming. In a moment of despair, Sister Leopoldina reflected, "How long Oh Lord must I see only those that are sick and covered with leprosy?" (Sister Leopoldina: NPS)

The Baldwin Home, which opened in May of 1894, replaced the Boys' home built by Father Damien. Mother Marianne Cope and the Sisters of Saint Francis managed the Baldwin home until they turned over jurisdiction to Joseph Dutton and the Sacred Hearts Brothers in 1895.

While at Kalaupapa, Mother Marianne predicted that no Franciscan Sister would ever contract leprosy. Additionally she required her sisters use stringent hand washing and other sanitary procedures. No sister has ever contracted the disease. Mother Marianne died in the summer of 1918 at the age of 80.

Mother Marianne was canonized on Oct. 21, 2012, making her the first Franciscan woman to be canonized from North America and only the 11th American saint. Forevermore, she will be known as St Marianne Cope, with the title "beloved mother of outcasts." (Lots of information here is from NPS and Hawaii Catholic Herald.)
© 2022 Hoʻokuleana LLC

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The first shipment of lepers landed at Kalawao (Kalaupapa) January 6, 1866, the beginning of segregation and banishment of lepers to the leper settlement. In January 1883, Walter Gibson, Minister o...

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There are different moʻolelo of who built the Moʻokini heiau this is another version.

Menehune are known for their great masonry all over Hawaiʻi. Menehune have built many heiau including Moʻokini in Kohala, near Kamehameha the Greatʻs birthplace. The stones for the heiau were not selected from nearby, but from Pololu Valley, about twelve miles away. Menehune made a line from Poll to Honoipu and passed the stones to one another all night, resulting in the heiau being built in a single night (Thrum, 1907b, pp. 116–117).

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Hawaiian folk tales; a collection of native legends : Thrum, Thomas G. (Thomas George), 1843-1932 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

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ʻAlekoko loko ʻia is located in the ahupuaʻa of Nāwiliwili, on the moku of Puna, and on the Kauaʻi mokupuni (refer to the star).

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(TenBruggencate, 2019)

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Huleia Stream is the major waterway of the Nawiliwili Bay Watershed. Therefore, we tend to think of them in the same way. And although it is officially named as a stream, because it is much larger than the other streams in the area, we tend to call it a river.

Below are a couple of articles by Jan TenBruggencate, Board Director and historian of Malama Huleia.

A Brief History of the Hulē'ia Region

By Jan TenBruggencate

The Nāwiliwili and Hulē'ia region has been a center of Kaua'i activity since the earliest days.

The bay held the nearest safe anchorage for sailing ships from Honolulu, although it was a rough bay until the breakwater was built in 1922.

Nawiliwili Bay before breakwater. Huleia Stream on extreme left, Ninini Point on extreme right. Source: Archaeology of Puna Kaua'i, Francis K. W. Ching, Ed.

Its richness came in part from the abundance of fresh water. Many streams flowed into Nāwiliwili Bay, with Hulē'ia just the largest of them.

The others include Pū'ali Stream and Nāwiliwili Stream. Papalinahoa Stream was between them and has been diverted underground. Koena'awa-nui Stream flowed into the middle of Kapalakī Beach, and there was another spring and stream at the eastern side of the beach, perhaps named Koena'awa-iki. Papakolea Stream flows into Hulē'ia above the Alakoko fishpond.

The many steep-sided valleys of the region so impressed early residents that they attributed the rugged landscape to digging by the pig/man demigod, Kamapua'a.

The area is bounded to the south by the eight-mile-long spine of the Hā'upu Range. Geologists conclude that the Hā'upu Mountain range is the southern arc of the volcanic crater that formed the island of Kaua'i, and the many streams and valleys of the region are the result of the powers of erosion. The island is dated at 5 million years old so there has been plenty of time for wind and water to do their work.

The earliest archaeological dates in the area go back to about the year 1100. And numerous stories and traditions indicate the importance of this area.

The eastern peak overlooking Nāwiliwili Harbor from the south is Kalanipu'u, a place once used to spot schools of fish for fishers with canoes and nets in the waters below. Kalanipu'u is also famous in legend as a place where crops like mai'a (banana) and 'awa (kava) were grown by Na Maka o Kaha'i, sister of the fire goddess Pele.

The hill to the west of the bay, where Kaua'i High School now stands, once held the four-acre heiau, Kuhiau, one of the largest and best-known Hawaiian temples on the island. Many of the peaks on the Hā'upu Mountain range, readily visible from Kuhiau, had astrological names, and may have been used in teaching navigation at the heiau.

To early Hawaiians of this area, the region was important for many reasons, among them its bountiful productivity.

Taro fields lined the stream valleys. Forests of koa, hala, wiliwili, hau, 'ahakea and kukui covered its uplands. A rich estuary and bay as well as major fishponds fed its people.

The Nāwiliwili area had at least six fishponds, of which Alakoko was the largest. Others include Kalalalehua, Lokoponu, Papalinahoa and two whose names have been lost.

The winds of the region are also famous. They include the twisting wind Kiu Ke'e and the Hu'e One winds of Nāwiliwili; and at Kalapakī, the Wāmua and He Waikai Ko Kalapakī, which refers to the brackishness of the seawater due to all the fresh water springs and streams. The breezes blowing across the uplands of Līhu'e are the Pāhole winds.

This area was a sanctuary for people fleeing wars on other islands. One story says that in 1785, when Kahekili invaded O'ahu, the chiefess Kekelaokalani came to Hulē'ia carrying a bit of soil from her birth island, which she spread out in her new home on Kaua'i.

During the historic period, early government leaders lived here. The governor Kaikio'ewa grew sugar cane at Nāwiliwili in 1839, and Paulo Kanoa was governor of Kaua'i from 1847 to 1877. Kanoa once owned the Alakoko pond.

During the 1800s, many of the kalo ponds were converted to wetland rice cultivation. Cattle ran free on Kaua'i in the early 1800s, but they began being such a problem for homes and gardens that in the middle of the century, people were assigned to control the herds and cattle ranching became a business.

The first sugar plantation started in 1849, and its mill became the most productive sugar mill in the Islands. Over time, Līhu'e Mill ground the cane from several plantations, including ones at Kīpū, Līhu'e, Grove Farm, Hanamā'ulu and Makee.

During the period when oxen and then locomotives were used to transport cane to the mill, the plantations maintained residential camps across their sprawling fields, so workers could be near the work. With the replacement of trains with trucks in the 1950s, many of those camps were abandoned, and people moved into Līhu'e, where plantations developed new residential subdivisions for their workers.

Līhu'e was named the county seat in 1905, and its importance grew with the construction of the new harbor at Nāwiliwili in 1922 and of the Līhu'e Airport in 1949. The advent of trucks and cars helped centralize the population in the urban area.

Līhu'e remains the political and economic center of the island. Its near neighbors are mostly bustling economic areas, with a major resort on Kalapakī Beach, shops, apartments and restaurants at Nāwiliwili, and the harbor that now covers the old Papalinahoa Stream. By contrast, the Hulē'ia River and Alakoko pond are quiet refuges. A few kayak tours, outrigger canoe crews and crab netters populate the river, and the pond is home to mullet, papio, kaku and tilapia, along with an assemblage of Hawaiian waterbirds.

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Huleia Stream is the major waterway of the Nawiliwili Bay Watershed. Therefore, we tend to think of them in the same way. And although it is officially named as a stream, because it is much larger than the other streams in the area, we tend to call it a river.

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Puʻupehe is also known as a shrine dedicated to the god of the bird catchers. Seabirds were a significant part of our kupunaʻs diet and shrines were places on the islet (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2019a).

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He Wahi Pana O Lānaʻi - A Storied Place of Lānaʻi - the Kapihaʻā Interpretive Trail is an approximate one-mile round trip. The Kapihaʻā preservation area contains at least fifteen distinct sites, made up of more than 60 features, by which we may see how Hawaiians lived, worked and worshiped on Lānaʻi.

Interpretive signs found along the trail identify several different types of sites, including agricultural fields, residences, ceremonial sites and lithic (stone) workshops.

Sign 1 - "Wahi Pana" are storied and sacred places on the Hawaiian landscape.
Walking the trail from this point, you will step back in time, and glimpse life on Lānaʻi prior to the arrival of westerners in 1778.

Sign 2- Kapihaʻā: Life Along The Leeward Shore Of Lānaʻi
Close to 800 years ago, native Hawaiians settled along sheltered areas of the coast line on Lānaʻi, and then extended inland where extensive dry land agricultural fields were developed.

Because water resources were limited even then, most agricultural pursuits were in the form of dry land crops planted upon the kula (plains) and under the canopy of now reduced forests that collected fog drip.

Along the trail there is evidence of permanent and temporary dwellings, agricultural plots, lithic (stone) workshops and ceremonial sites, and the ancient setting of Kapihaʻā Village.

Sign 3 - Puʻupehe Islet
Native lore describes the platform with an upright stone in it as either a burial place for a woman who bore the name of Puʻupehe, or as a shrine dedicated to the god of bird catchers.

In traditional times, sea birds were an important part of the Hawaiian diet, and koʻa (shrines) were placed on "bird islands to sustain the land with plenty of birds."

Sign 4 - Heiau (Temple) of Kapihaʻā Village
This heiau is a significant architectural feature on the cultural landscape of Kapihaʻā. There are five features associated with the heiau, which include a walled platform, terraces and an ʻahu (altar or cairn).

The prominence of this site, and the fact that it commands an imposing view of the ocean and surrounding lands, suggests that it was a temple associated with prayers and offerings to promote the abundance of the fisheries, or perhaps to pray for rains and sustainable growth of crops on land.

Sign 5 - Dry Land Agricultural Terraces
Because of the arid nature of Lānaʻi, most of the crops grown here were adapted to the kula (open flat lands), and planted in kīhāpai, and moʻo (walled fields or shallow terraces). Passing showers born by the nāulu (southerly) breezes and the early morning kēhau (dew born upon mountain breezes) provided enough water for the plants to grow.

Both natural terraces, some of which were modified, and formal terraces, in which mulch was developed to support plant growth, may be found in this area. Crops such as ʻuala (sweet potatoes), uhi (yams), hue (gourds), lau ki (ti plants) and clumps of kō (sugarcane) could be grown here.

Sign 6 - Kauhale and Hale Pāpaʻi House Sites, Temporary Habitation Sites and Shelters
On the leeward side of Lānaʻi, Kapihaʻā and neighboring villages of the Hulopoʻe-Mānele vicinity supported a population of at least several hundred people at any given time.

The small house sites were basically shelters from bad weather, with most activities - such as making fishing gear, working on stone tools, and food preparation - occurring outside.

Poles of wood, gathered from the uplands, would have been placed upon the stone foundations of these house sites and shelters as support posts, beams and purloins. Thatching of native pili grass, leaves of loulu (pritchardia) palms, niu (coconut fronds), and leafy branches from shrubs would then be lashed to the poles on narrow cross pieces, thus providing protection from rain, cold and heat.

The house foundation has multiple terraces and separate leveled areas, each of which would have served a special use in domestic life. Generally the highest area on the upslope side was reserved for special functions associated with family worship.

Sign 7 - Koʻa, a Fisherman's Shrine and Triangulation Station
A significant wealth of this part of Lana'i lay in its fisheries, as marine resources supplied protein for the native Hawaiian diet. In addition to fish, various pūpū (shellfish), papaʻi (crabs), and several varieties of limu (seaweeds) were also collected along the shore and from the sea. These fishery resources, together with crops from the uplands sustained the residents of Kapihaʻā over many generations.

A significant Hawaiian ceremonial site, a koʻa or fishing shrine, lies to the west of this trail, perched on a promontory overlooking the ocean and the fisherman's trail. Portions of the koʻa have collapsed, but the large mound of coral set upon the stone foundation is symbolic of the god Kūʻula and makes this koʻa one of the most unique sites of its kind anywhere in Hawai'i.

Fishermen sought protection during fishing trips and continued abundance of the fisheries through offerings of fish, urchins, and shell fish to the gods and ʻaumakua (guardians). Offerings would again be made upon return from fishing expeditions to thank the gods for their successful catch and safe return.

Sign 8 - The Kapihaʻā Preservation Area and Interpretive Trail (Coastal Section)
Sections of the Fisherman's Trail along this coast follow a traditional ala hele (trail) traveled by ancient Hawaiian residents of Lānaʻi for generations.

The ala hele linked coastal communities together, and provided residents with access to various resources. The ala hele that turns mauka (upland) at this point enters the ancient village site known as Kapihaʻā. (Information on the Kapihaʻā interpretive trail is from Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center, prepared by Kepā Maly, Kumu Pono Associates LLC.)
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He Wahi Pana O Lānaʻi - A Storied Place of Lānaʻi - the Kapihaʻā Interpretive Trail is an approximate one-mile round trip. The Kapihaʻā preservation area contains at least fifteen d...

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ʻAlekoko Fishpond in 1912 (Young & Hoʻokuleana, 2014).

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Puʻupehe is named after a woman, Puʻupehe the beautiful daughter of Uaua. She fell in love with Makakehau, a handsome warrior. Makakehau was jealous and afraid that her noticeable beauty would cause her to be sought out from other suitors. Makakehau wanted to keep Puʻupehe to himself and hid her in a cave, Malauea. One day, Makakehau left Puʻupehe in the cave as he left to get water in the uplands. While he left, a storm approached with a lot of rain and wind. Makakehau rushed back to save Puʻupehe from the cave and by the time he had reached, Puʻupehe had passed. The following day, they prepared her body to be buried by wrapping her in kapa and leis of nau. Makakehau requested for a night to mourn his beloved and the next day, they both could not be found. Later, Makakehau was found on the Puʻupehe islet marking his belovedʻs grave. When he finished, he jumped to his death from the cliffs of Puʻupehe (Evans, 2022).

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12 Hanohano Lānaʻi - Ka Moʻolelo ʻo Puʻupehe

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Huleia River with Alakoko Fishpond on left,  Niumalu wetlands and Puali Stream in center (Archaeology of Puna Kaua’i & Ching, Ed., n.d.).

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In the Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Pakaʻa was the personal attendant of Keawenuiaʻumi, a famous ruler of Hawaiʻi Island. Pakaʻa was a very skilled man, he trained in several arts until he became an expert in them including the natural history of the land from Hawaiʻi to Kauaʻi. He knew of all the different ahupuaʻan and what each one offered. He was able to read signs in the patterns of the elements, navigate at sea, observe the winds, etc. He knew how to turnover a flipped canoe at sea, paddle canoes, etc. He had run away from Keawenuiaʻumi and fled to Molokaʻi. Keawenuiaʻumi sought after Pakaʻan and Pakaʻa hired men from Kalaʻe, Kalaupapa, and Keʻanae to catch fish to prepare for the coming of Keawenuiaʻumi to Molokaʻi (Kamakau, 1992b, pp. 42, 54).

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Kupapau o Puʻupehe (Tomb of Puʻupehe) contains the resting place of Puʻupehe where there is a small inclosure formed by a low stone wall. It is said that she was a sweet flower of Hawaiian beauty and had a glossy brown, spotless body which "shone like the clear sun rising of Haleakalā. She had curly, flowy hair which was bound by a wreath of lehua blossoms.

After Makakehau had buried his beloved, he wailed for Puʻupehe:

"Where are you O Puupehe?
Are you in the cave of Malauea?
Shall I bring you sweet water,
The water of the mountains?
Shall I bring the uwau,
The pala, and the ohelo?
Are you baking the honu
And the red sweet Hala?
Shall I pound the kilo of Maui?
Shall we dip in the gourd together?
The bird and the fish are bitter,
And the mountain water is sour.
I shall drink it no more;
I shall drink with Aipuhi,
The great shark of Manele."

He jumped off Puʻupehe Islet and his body was crushed. The witnesses buried him in the kupapau of Manele (Thrum, 1907c).

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Hawaiian folk tales; a collection of native legends : Thrum, Thomas G. (Thomas George), 1843-1932 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

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I was fortunate enough to visit loko iʻa ʻo ʻAlekoko in Kauaʻi this summer to do hana and help with the maintenance of the loko iʻa. This photo was taken from the lookout above.

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I took this video of ʻAlekoko Fishpond from the lookout above.

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ʻAlekoko Fishpond, also known as Menehune fishpond or Niamalu Pond, is located at a large bend in the Hulēʻia River and separated by a 900 yards long wall (Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation, 2014).

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ʻAlekoko was named after a chief of Puna in Kauaʻi who lived with his royal sister, Kalālālehua, in Niumalu upon the banks of Hulēʻia (or Hulāʻia) River. They commanded the Menehune to make a fishpond in Hulēʻia. The Menehuneʻs chief agreed to build the pond if they did not watch them work. The two aliʻi, ʻAlekoko and Kalalālehua, could hear the Menehune at work and went to take a peek. When they looked at the Menehune working, the Menehune stopped working, washed their bloodied hands in the water, and returned home. Their hands were said to be filled with blood because the rocks were not smooth (Akana, PhD, 2021).

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Hulēʻia Stream is the large waterway of the Nāwiliwili Bay Watershed, often called Hulēʻia River due to its large size compared to the streams around. This regions has been the center of the activities in Kauaʻi and the bay allowed anchorage for ships sailing from Oʻahu. The Papakolea Stream flows into Hulēʻia above the ʻAlekoko fishpond. The steep-sided valleys of Hulēʻia are taught to have been from the digging of Kamapuaʻa, a demigod. The Nāwiliwili area had at least six fishponds and ʻAlekoko (also known as Alakoko) was the largest (Allen et al., 2020).

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I took this photo of a sign at ʻAlekoko Fishpond.

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In the book The Epic Tale of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele, Pele recounts all of the place and wind names from Nihoa to Kauaʻi in a chant in front of Lohiʻau and all the chiefs of Kauaʻi at the hālau hula to display her knowledge of the dance. Pele recites all of the place and wind names except for the two moʻo sisters (the guardians of the Hāʻena cliffs), Kilioeikapua and Kalanamainuʻu. Kilioeikapua sassily said " Ah! If you can recite all the winds from Nihoa to here, then you are the native of these islands, and we are all newcomers." Before her recitation, Pele said "This is fair Kauaʻi, perfection in the calm, yet this is no calm day, for the farthest reaches of all the winds shall unite, and the vortex of wind will spin this land of Kauaʻi. This is a day of storm." Kalanamainuʻu responded, "There is no storm, this is a fine day. The only storm is the Kalakalaʻihikalaloa wind, one brought on by the words of exaggeration." This was a rude remark as Kalanamainuʻu denied Peleʻs prediction of a storm that day. Pele proceeded to recite all of the winds and the calm night turned into a storm, the ocean began to have white foaming swells and the clouds were whirling and racing in. Pele continued to recite this long list of the winds and the places they possess, upon the lengthly list which Pele recited was "The wind of ʻAlekoko is Lawekiupuaʻiʻi." Whilst Pele took a rest in her recitation, she said "...There are, however, two bad winds here, a Kilo and a haughty Nuʻuikalanahaʻakoi. These are winds found where the moʻo clings to the cliffs" (Hoʻoulumāhiehie et al., 2006b, p. 17).

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I was able to kokua Paleke Flores, the Field Operations and Cultural Resource Manager, with some work in efforts to restore the ʻAlekoko Fishpond. He shared some images of ʻAlekoko and moʻolelo. He shared the moʻolelo of the Menehune building the pond and in their version, only one of the aliʻi (ʻAlekoko) looked at the Menehune working, his part of the job was not completed by the Menehune, but the other side was as the other aliʻi did not look at the Menehune working. ʻAnakala Paleke also reasonably questions the part of the Menehuneʻs hands being bloody after building because they are the masters of their craft and have done the greatest of works, why would their hands be bloody? Could it have been a form of limu in the fishpond? He brought up some great questions to stir the conversation. Further, he talked about how the fishpond was used as an incubator for small fish to survive and there was a filter where only the small fish could get in and out of the ʻAlekoko fishpond. When great amounts of small fish were bred in the fishpond, it would attract more fish toward the shorelines near ʻAlekoko. Therefore the immediate community could eat the fish in ʻAlekoko fishpond, but the entire island can live of the fish being lured near the shores of the nearby ocean. Lastly, ʻAnakala Paleke shared that ʻAlekoko was referred to as Alakoko before around the 1900s (P. Flores, personal communication, July 25, 2023).

Mahalo nui Palette Flores for your time and manaʻo!

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In the Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Lono, a chief of Hawaiʻi, departed from Maui toward Molokaiʻi. It is noticed in his arrival that the chiefs of Molokaʻi spend some time surfing in Kalaupapa (Kamakau, 1992b, pp. 42, 54).

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Makanalua was called the "grave pit" and was separated from civilization where patients with leprosy were exiled to. In 2009, there were nineteen patients remaining. Makia Malo was nine when he was diagnosed and has since lost his sight. Malo shared what he missed most about his sight was the green mountain. He also grew up hunting, surfing, and utilizing the resources of Kalaupapa since there was no school to attend. He shares about his experience in the church Father Damien had built and his experience of what exile was like and how the world changed once Father Damien willingly went to Kalaupapa and stayed. He also shared what he learned from Father Damien in these difficult times (KITV, 2009).

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From 1866 through 1969, about eight thousand people of all ages ranging from four-years-old to 105-years-old were separated from their families and sent to Kalaupapa. The first documented case of leprosy took place in 1835 in Koloa, Kauaʻi. On May 10, 1873, Father Damien arrived in Kalaupapa and decided to stay permanently within two days of his visit. In April of 1874, King Kalakāua and Queen Kapiolani visited Kalauapapa and were greeted with about 200-300 people. In 1879, Father Damien created a home in Kalawao for boys and, elderly men, unprotected women, and girls. In September of 1881, Princess Regent Liliʻuokalani visited Kalaupapa (Issuu, 2021).

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Timeline: The HIstory of Leprosy in Hawaii

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The history of leprosy / Hansen’s disease in Hawaii—Significant people, events and dates.

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In 2021, Kalaupapa had eleven living patient residents with leprosy (Hansenʻs Disease). The senator Kalani English of Molokaʻi, Hana, East Maui, and Lānaʻi shared the plans to eventually make Kalaupapa into a national park. Kalaupapa is owned by the Department of Hawaiian Homelands but  descendants of people who owned land before 1850 are hoping to get it back. They also discuss possibly restoring the buildings and preserving the history of Kalaupapa (KHON2 News, 2021).

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KALAWAO COUNTY, Hawaii (KHON2) - The Department of Health (DOH) is the legal authority of Kalawao County on the island of Molokai, better known as Kalaupapa.

The future of the isolated community hangs in the balance with only 11 living patient residents.

Visiting Kalaupapa's untouched shores is like taking a trip back in time, but the remote area is at a crossroads. Clarence Kahilihiwa, better known as Uncle Boogie, passed away on Friday, March 5. He was one of just a dozen remaining residents with Hansen's disease.

Kahilihiwa was the President of Ka Ohana o Kalaupapa and a tireless advocate for the patients of Kalaupapa.

Sen. Kalani English, who represents Molokai, said Kahilihiwa's passing represents the end of an era.

"I'm deeply saddened by the news on the passing of Uncle Boogie Kahilihiwa," Sen. English said. "He was a dear friend and I'm fortunate to have known him for over twenty years."

Kahilihiwa was one of thousands afflicted with Hansen's disease (leprosy) who were forced into isolation on the remote northern peninsula of Kalaupapa between 1866 and 1969 before a cure for the illness was discovered.

Many wonder what will happen down the road now that the remaining residents are getting older.

Kalawao County is a non-self governing county. Its mayor is DOH director Dr. Libby Char.

"Mayor Libby Char's role as the mayor is to protect and provide for the people living in Kalaupapa," Sen. English said. "The promise that the state made to the remaining patients was that we would take care of them till the very last patient. So we are honoring that."

Sen. English said, the plan after that is for DOH to shift management of the area to the National Park Service (NPS).

Kalaupapa National Historical Park was established on December 22, 1980.

"That's why there's a huge National Park presence there," he explained.

According to Sen. English, the NPS lease ends in 50 years.

Molokai Rep. Lynn DeCoite said, that is not set in stone, however.

"Community meetings have been held, whether or not national parks will continue to carry the lease and continue to maintain it," Rep. DeCoite said.

The land is owned by the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL).

Rep. DeCoite said, descendants of those who owned land there prior to 1850 hope to get it back. There is also talk about homesteading but no one knows what the future holds.

"I don't think you'll ever see some kind of million-dollar hotels popping up," DeCoite said. "I think you'd have a lot of fight on your hands. If you've ever saw protesting. I think you've probably seen huge protests if that was to occur. "

Will it continue as Kalawao County or become a part of Maui County?

"I think that it should remain as Kalawao County," Sen. English explained. "We should restore the buildings. We should try and bring some life and commerce into the place that keeps it going."

The hope is it will be protected and preserved.

"Make it a place where we go to rejuvenate ourselves," Sen. English said. "It's a very healing and peaceful place."

"Remember the past, perpetuate the future," Rep. DeCoite said. "And never forget."

Kalaupapa remains closed to visitors at this time.

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Kalaupapa: What the future holds for Kalawao County

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The Department of Health (DOH) is the legal authority of Kalawao County on the island of Molokai, better known as Kalaupapa. The future of the isolated community hangs in the balance with only 11 living patient residents.

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‌Since 1973, ʻAlekoko Fishpond has been on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the best examples of ancient Hawaiian aquaculture (Hawaiʻi Visitor & Convention Bureau, n.d.).

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Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau 2270 Kalākaua Avenue, #801 Honolulu, HI 96815 TEL: +1 (808) 924-0245 FAX: +1 (808) 924-0291 Erica Neves, Manager, Travel Trade Marketing E-MAIL: eneves@hvcb.org Robyn Basso, Senior Director, Travel Industry Sales E-MAIL: rbasso@hvcb.org

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You can help the Mālama Hulēʻia organization by donating to support their mission or volunteering! They have community workdays every 3rd Saturday morning where anyone can learn about conservation and significance of that ʻāina (TenBruggencate, 2019).

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2022 Board of Directors: Establishes the overall mission, vision, strategies, and programs for Mālama Hulē'ia.

Board President, Jan TenBruggencate is a paddler and builder of Hawaiian outrigger canoes, the author of a number of books on Hawaiian history, a communications consultant, and science writer.

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Vice President, Lee Evslin is a paddler and the former CEO of Wilcox Hospital and Kaua'i Medical Clinic. He served as a board-certified pediatrician on Kaua'i for more than 30 years. He is a private landowner with experience using a variety of equipment for clearing 11-acres of hau.

Secretary, Ruby Pap is a Coastal Land Use Extension Agent with the University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program based in the County of Kaua'i Planning Department. She serves as a liaison between university and private researchers, government, and the community to ensure the latest coastal science is available for coastal zone planning, management, and educational activities. Her main focus is on coastal hazards and climate change.

Treasurer, LaVerne Bishop held Program and Executive Director positions for over 40 years at Hale `Opio Kaua'i., a youth development and treatment agency. Currently active with the Leadership Council of Keiki to Career Kaua'i and on the board of Kaua'i Planning and Action Alliance, she is a Community Representative for the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts for Artists in Public Places.

Emory Griffin-Noyes has been involved in the conservation and perpetuation of endemic Hawaiian plants and animals for the past 15 years. Currently he is the Associate Biologist with Hallux, focusing on protecting endemic seabirds from the threat of predation by invasive vertebrate pests.

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Sabra Kauka is a kumu of Hawaiian Arts & Culture. She is a founding member and past president of Napali Coast Ohana and continues to serve as a volunteer. She also serves on the board of Garden Island RC&D. She lives in the ahupua'a of Kalapaki and feels a responsibility to Mālama Hulē'ia.

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Chris Kauwe has been a Kaua'i resident since hurricane Iniki, Mr Kauwe is a canoe paddler and is involved in many Hawaiian cultural activities. He brings his experiences to bear fruit for the Mālama Hulē'ia Board and the wider community.

Kawika Smith works for the State Department of Land and Natural
Resources-Division of Forestry and Wildlife in the Na Ala Hele program. Mr. Smith grew up on the westside of Kauai, graduating from Waimea High school then continued education in the mainland at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario Oregon with an AA in Forestry Management, finished with a BS degree in Forestry Management at Colorado State University in Fort Collins Colorado. Among Kawikaʻs extensive forestry experience, he has protected native wildlife species and propagated native plants and will bring his expertise to the restoration of Huleia River and Alakoko fishpond.

Enoka Karratti is a former Hawaiian studies educator with the State of
Hawaii, Department of Education. As an educator, he brought his students to Huleʻia as a way to supplement his Hawaiian studies curriculum. Mr. Karratti also assisted in the development of the web-based, virtual field trip to Huleʻia project. Mr. Karratti grew up in Kekaha, lives in Waimea, and currently works with the Waimea based, non-profit group "Kumano i ke ala" as the Education
Outreach Specialist.

Mālama Hulē'ia Staff: Responsible for executing all program requirements, including fundraising, and achieving the mission of Mālama Hulē'ia.

Mālama Hulē'ia could not succeed without kokua from the government agencies, businesses, community organizations, as well as hundreds of individuals who are our supporting partners.
The following have contributed significantly to our operations:

Matson

Hallux Environmental (predator control)

Dukes

Kaiola Canoe Club

Outfitters Kauai

Department of Education

Surfrider Foundation

Kauai Veterans Trucking

KUA

Okada Trucking

We have received funding from these agencies and foundations:

United States Fish and Wildlife Service - Coastal Wetlands Restoration Grant

United States Fish and Wildlife Service - Fish Habitat Partnership Grant

Hawaii Department of Fish and Wildlife DOFAW (as the project sponsor/partner)

Hawaii Community Foundation

Community Restoration Partnership

Chan Zuckerberg Kaua`i Community Fund

County of Kauai Office of Economic Development

Kamehameha Schools - Community Investment Partnership

Schmidt Foundation

Chapin Foundations

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Mālama Hulē'ia 2022 Board of Directors: Establishes the overall mission, vision, strategies, and programs for Mālama Hulē'ia. Board President, Jan TenBruggencate is a paddler and builder of Hawaiian outrigger canoes, the author of a number of books on Hawaiian history, a communications consultant, and science writer. . .

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Ka ʻOhana O Kalaupapa hosts webinars for those interested in learning about the people and history of Kalaupapa (Ka ʻOhana O Kalaupapa, n.d.).

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Webinar series about Kalaupapa and her people

In late 2022, Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa began a new way of reaching out to those interested in learning about the people and history of Kalaupapa: webinars. Ka 'Ohana has been giving in-person presentations for many years, often in conjunction with our exhibits, but those audiences are always limited to people living in that area.

We hope these hour-long webinars are a way to increase our outreach - and complement our in-person events.

In January, 2022, the first webinar presented by Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa was hosted by the Damien-Marianne Catholic Conference in honor of Kalaupapa Month. In June, Ka 'Ohana was asked to present webinars for the annual 'aha of the Hawai'i Conference of the United Church of Christ. We have also given webinars for Mid-Pacific Institute and a group of Sierra Club volunteers who were regular visitors to Kalaupapa before the pandemic restrictions.

With the success of those webinars, Ka 'Ohana launched its own series in September with "Kalaupapa: A Living History," a look at the overall history of Kalaupapa, focusing on lesser-known events that had significant impacts on life for the community.

We followed that in November with "Tandy MacKenzie: The Kalaupapa Concerts" where we shined a light on the often-forgotten opera star Tandy MacKenzie, born in Hana and a graduate of Kamehameha Schools whose life was changed in 1922 during the three concerts he performed at Kalaupapa. We included stories about the people of Kalaupapa and their love of music along with how we are keeping alive the legacy of Tandy.

Our series will continue in January, 2023, for Kalaupapa Month. The exact date, time and subject will be announced in the next few weeks - along with a way to register.

We will be scheduling other webinars throughout the year. In addition, we are available to present our webinars to organizations who can bring together at least 15 people for the Zoom event. Please contact info.kalaupapa@gmail.com to let us know about your interest. Each webinar is about an hour long - followed by a question-and-answer period.

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These are the webinars available via Zoom for private showings of 15 or more people:

"Kalaupapa: A Living History," about lesser-known events in the history of Kalaupapa;

"The Restoration of Family Ties," focusing on moving stories of how Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa has helped hundreds of descendants learn more about their Kalaupapa ancestors;

"Tandy MacKenzie: The Kalaupapa concerts," how the life of Hana-born opera star Tandy MacKenzie was changed by three concerts he gave at Kalaupapa in 1922;

"In Their Hearts Was Aroused a Hope: Justice & Healing at Kalaupapa," about the Protestant community at Kalawao and Kalaupapa.

"Saints Damien & Marianne and the People of Kalaupapa," shows how Father Damien and Mother Marianne were lifted to Sainthood by the people of Kalaupapa whose descendants now carry on those stories;

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Webinar series about Kalaupapa and her people In late 2022, Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa began a new way of reaching out to those interested in learning about the people and history of Kalaupapa: webinars. Ka 'Ohana has been giving in-person presentations for many years, often in conjunction with our exhibits, but those audiences are always limited to people living in that area.

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Kawalwao County is restricted to residents and visitors with permits issued by the Hawaii State Department of Health. Since 1866, more than eight thousand people, mostly of Hawaiian descent, have died at Kalaupapa. Kalaupapa was once thought of as a prison but is now a refuge for the remaining residents who have been cured but were forced to live in isolation (National Park Service, 2022b).

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Kalaupapa National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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When Hansen's disease (leprosy) was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands, King Kamehameha V banished all afflicted to the isolated Kalaupapa peninsula on the north shore of Molokai. Since 1866, more than 8000 people, mostly Hawaiians, have died at Kalaupapa.

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ʻĪao has been reopened for visitation. Out-of-State-residents must book reservations and pay a fee to visit the ʻĪao Valley State Monument. Residents of Hawaiʻi may visit free of charge. There is a 0.6 mile scenic walk (Department of Land and Natural Resources, n.d.).

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Scenic viewpoint of Kuka'emoku (a.k.a. the ʻIao Needle).

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Hānaiakamalama has self-guided and docent-guided tours available for the public. You can show your support by booking your visit or donating here (Daughters of Hawaiʻi, n.d.).

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Visitors can learn important parts of Hawaiian history as they explore the Queen Emma Summer Palace, the secluded mountain-home and summer retreat of Queen Emma of Hawai'i from 1857 to 1885, her husband King Kamehameha IV and their son, Prince Albert Edward.