Kalaupapa

Proposed Kalaupapa Memorial Still Faces Hurdles

Thursday, February 19th, 2026

By Léo Azambuja

A memorial honoring thousands of late Hansen’s disease patients sent on a one-way ticket to Kalaupapa has yet to be built more than two decades after its initial idea and nearly 17 years after President Barack Obama signed a federal bill paving the way for the monument.

“There’s this big hairball of bureaucracy that just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” Ka ʻOhana O Kalaupapa executive director Valerie Monson said at a Maui Council’s Aloha ‘Āina Committee meeting at Mitchell Pauole Center Jan. 29. “We just hope we can get through it.”

Committee chair Keani Rawlins-Fernandez scheduled the meeting to discuss the proposed Kalaupapa Memorial Monument, which has been in the works for at least 23 years.…

Tour Offers Unique View of Kalaupapa

Thursday, October 9th, 2025

By Léo Azambuja

It is nearly impossible for the general population to understand the suffering, the joys, the daily lives of those diagnosed with Hansen’s disease — also known as leprosy — and sent on a one-way ticket to Kalaupapa, one of the most geographically isolated communities in Hawaii.

But now, people can at least have a glimpse of the last 150 years there. The Kalaupapa Saints Tour opened in September, offering an intimate experience for eight guests at a time, led by a tour guide vetted by one of the last living patients in Kalaupapa. 

“People, when they come down, respect and listen what the tour guide gonna say, explain to them what is all about here in Kalaupapa,” 90-year-old Meli Watanuki said.…

Bill Plans for Future of Kalaupapa and Kalawao County 

Thursday, February 13th, 2025

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor 

A new bill being heard in the Hawaii Senate looks at the impending future of Kalaupapa along with that of Kalawao County. With seven patient residents all between the ages of 83 and 100 remaining, four of whom call Kalaupapa their full-time home, state and federal agencies with responsibilities in Kalaupapa are preparing for the day when the settlement is without patients. 

Currently, the Department of Health (DOH) is charged with most elements of patient care, with the National Park Service (NPS) running utilities, waste management and the maintenance of certain areas like the trail, cemeteries and other archeological sites.…

Kalaupapa’s Complexities and Future

Thursday, October 10th, 2024

Although it may be the smallest county in the U.S., there is no lack of activity in Kalaupapa and Kalawao County. While only four patient residents still call Kalaupapa their full-time home, a team of permanent staff along with multiple state and federal agencies direct care, stewardship and more for the community.

The directors of several major organizations including the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), and the Dept. of Health (DOH) met up on Molokai on Oct. 5 to discuss their current responsibilities in Kalaupapa. While the purpose of the joint meeting was just to explain current roles for these various agencies in Kalaupapa, the impending question of what the future of the community without patients will look like was on the minds of many Molokai residents.…

Kalaupapa Tree Preservation Project

Thursday, September 19th, 2024

Over the summer, arborists from Windward Community College made the trip to Kalaupapa in the hopes of preserving elements of the unique community on Molokai’s northern coast. Funded by a grant from the National Park Service, The Arboriculture Workforce Training and Development Program is a five-year program looking to ensure that the trees and cultural landscape of the peninsula continue to thrive. It’s focused on training park workers in tree care techniques, natural mulching, proper staking and planting methods, grafting, air layering and more. If you need help maintaining your landscaping trees, you may consider seeking Lynchburg tree services.

“The goal is to provide the workers with the skills and knowledge they need to maintain the park,” explained Maria-Elena Diaz, director of career and community education at Windward Community College.…

Kalaupapa Barge Day

Wednesday, September 11th, 2024

By Jack Kiyonaga | Editor 

Each year, Christmas comes early for the residents of Kalaupapa. In unique tradition, members of the smallest county in the U.S. patiently await the annual arrival of new kitchen appliances, recliner chairs, gasoline, gravel for road repairs, trucks, non-perishable foods, and everything in-between via the Young Brothers barge. 

“It’s a big day,” explained National Park Service Community Engagement Specialist Mikiala Pescaia. 

Taking place on Saturday, Aug. 31, this year’s barge was loaded with “anything that doesn’t fit on a Kamaka airplane,” explained Pescaia. The barge also allows for Kalauapapa residents to ship out larger items, including remnants from former patients’ estates, as well as pump out their septic tanks. …