Hawaii Vacation Sales And Rentals Beachfront Oceanfront Oceanview

Kaho'olawe

Seven miles off the south coast of East Maui is the barren, windswept island of Kahoolawe. Lying in the shadow of Maui’s Haleakala, the island is blocked off from most of the rain and cooling tradewinds, creating heat and humidity on the island both day and night.

Kahoolawe was named after Kanaloa, one of the four major Hawaiian gods. Its use as a sacred place is often mentioned in chants and legends passed down through the ages. It is said that King Kalakaua was sent to the island by his kahuna (priest) in 1874 to purge himself before ascending the throne.

Ancient Hawaiians lived on the island until the 13th century, when a purported shift in climate led them to other more well-watered islands. Kahoolawe was uninhabited until the 1830s, when it became a penal colony for men. Cattle ranchers moved in after King Kamehameha III decided to abandon the practice of exiling criminals.

The ranchers stayed until the U.S. government confiscated the island for bombing and landing practice after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Pounded by naval artillery and bombers until 1990, Kahoolawe now enjoys peace and quiet although untold numbers of unexploded shells still lie hidden in its red soil.

In 1991, the Kahoolawe Island Conveyance Commission recommended returning the island to civilian use. Two years later, the U.S. government approved a $400 million cleanup fund for the island. The following year, the island was conveyed back to the State of Hawaii to manage as a cultural preserve until a government-recognized sovereign Hawaiian entity is established to manage the island.

New site designed by Creative Web Design

Copyright all rights reserved 2000 - 2050 Photos or text are not to be used without written permission or payment