Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Molokai
Former Leprosy Settlement
Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Molokai features a number of historic sites within its five square mile (12.9 sq km) radius. From the Kalaupapa lookout, one has a nice view of the remote peninsula below. Also, one can enjoy the park's variety of plant life, as well as come into contact with some endangered Hawaiian species.
Flora and fauna aside, however, the Kalaupapa National Historical Park is most famous for its tragic history. From 1886 to 1969, the Kalaupapa region served as a leper colony. People living on the nearby island of Oahu who contracted the disease, which has hence been renamed as Hansen’s Disease, were forced into exile here.
In the 1800s, people infected with leprosy were so feared and shunned that they were piled into a boat on Oahu, taken out into the peninsula and dumped right into the wild sea. Many patients drowned before they reached Molokai’s north shore, and even those who made it suffered greatly, as they were rarely given any medical supplies or materials with which to construct shelter. Scores of people died in miserable, inhumane conditions in those first few years at Kaluapapa, leaving no record or kin. Of the 8,000 bodies buried in the cemeteries along the shore, only 1,300 have marked graves.
Where Saint Damien Helped the Sick
In 1873, the people of Kaluapapa received hope and succor in the form of Saint Damien de Veuster, a Belgian missionary priest from the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Saint Damien farmed the land and worked as a carpenter, helping to erect homes and churches for the members of the colony. Although he knew leprosy was contagious, he courageously came in close contact with his people, serving as doctor, legal advisor and advocate. He built a life for the people of Kalaupapa, and perhaps most importantly, made them feel like human beings again. Saint Damien later contracted leprosy himself and died in 1889, leaving behind the rich memory of his humanity.
Even now, Kaluapapa functions as a settlement for those who suffer from Hansen’s Disease. Today, 18 patients, all over the age of 70, live on the park grounds, which are maintained by the government. The state of Hawaii pays all the food, housing and medical expenses for the patients and operates a kitchen and a small store from which the inhabitants can buy provisions. Kaluapapa is remote and its residents hardly ever leave. Small supplies are flown in regularly by air, and once a year, on Barge Day, which is a celebrated annual event at Kaluapapa, supplies like oil, gas and alcohol are brought here.
Potential visitors to Kalaupapa National Historical Park should be certain to remember the solemn history of the area and prepare to behave with the quiet courtesy that the circumstances demand. The area is sparsely populated, so visitors can expect to mostly only come into contact with park rangers and state employees, who work to ensure that the residents are properly taken care of. As Kalaupapa is a continuing settlement for Hansen’s Disease patients, potential guests must be over sixteen years of age and obtain a permit from the National Park Service and the State of Hawaii State Department of Health before entering the park.
