Elia Kawika David Kuʻualoha Kapahulehua (July 13, 1930 – May 17, 2007) was a Hawaiian sailor who was the first to captain an ocean-voyaging canoe from Hawaii to Tahiti in modern times.
70-514: Kapahulehua was born on Niʻihau , in 1930 and picked up the name "Kawika" as a young adult crewing catamarans on Waikiki Beach . The famed 1976 voyage of the Hōkūleʻa was beset with problems, but ultimately successful. The goal was to see if a 62-foot-long (19 m), two-masted canoe that approximated ancient canoes could be sailed without navigational equipment on the 2,250-nautical-mile (4,170 km) journey. While navigator Mau Piailug guided
140-413: A Japanese pilot whose Zero had been hit crash-landed on the island hoping to rendezvous with a rescue submarine. The pilot was apprehended and later escaped with the assistance of local Japanese residents, but he was killed shortly afterwards. Despite its self-imposed isolation, Niʻihau has a long-standing relationship with the U.S. military dating from 1924. There is a small Navy installation on
210-551: A Japanese navy fighter pilot crashed on the island and received help from the island's residents of Japanese descent. The island, known as "the Forbidden Isle", is off-limits to all outsiders except the Robinson family and their relatives, U.S. Navy personnel, government officials, and invited guests. From 1987 onward, a limited number of supervised activity tours and hunting safaris have opened to tourists. The island
280-461: A Tesla Energy 13 MW / 52 MWh battery next to the 12 MW Kapaia solar plant for 13.9¢/kWh. In December 2018, KIUC opened an AES Distributed Energy project for 20 MW solar with 20 MW / 100 MWh batteries priced at 11.1¢/kWh. Līhuʻe , on the island's southeastern coast, is the seat of Kauaʻi County and the island's second-largest town. Kapaʻa, on the "Coconut Coast" (site of an old coconut plantation) about 6 mi (9.7 km) north of Līhuʻe, has
350-497: A bill in 2004 to protect lei pūpū o Niʻihau (Niʻihau shell leis) from counterfeiting. A single, intricate Niʻihau shell lei can sell for thousands of dollars. Many residents of Niʻihau were once employees of Niʻihau Ranch, farming cattle and sheep until the Robinsons shut down the operation in 1999. It had not been profitable for most of the 20th century. Honey cultivation was also no longer viable by 1999. Kiawe charcoal
420-607: A biopic of Bethany Hamilton , Soul Surfer . A scene in the opening credits of popular TV show M*A*S*H was filmed in Kauaʻi (helicopter flying over mountain top). Some scenes from Just Go with It , George of the Jungle , and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides were also filmed in Kauaʻi. A Perfect Getaway is set in Kauaʻi. Parts of the 2002 film Dragonfly were filmed there, although
490-463: A father would carry his child. Another possible translation is "food season". Kauaʻi was known for its distinct dialect of the Hawaiian language , which still survives on Niʻihau. While the dominant dialect is based on that of Hawaiʻi island , which has no [t] sound, the Kauaʻi dialect had this sound. This happened because the Kauaʻi dialect had retained the old Polynesian /t/ sound, replaced in
560-540: A huge armada of ships and canoes to take the islands by force, and twice failed, once because of a storm, and once because of an epidemic . But in the face of the threat of a further invasion, Kaumualiʻi decided to join the kingdom without bloodshed, and became Kamehameha's vassal in 1810. He ceded the island to the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi upon his death in 1824. From the 1830s till the mid-20th century, plantations of sugarcane were Kauaʻi's most important industry. In 1835,
630-467: A population of over 10,000, or about 50% greater than Līhuʻe. Princeville , on the island's north side, was once the capital of Kauaʻi. Communities on Kauaʻi range in population from the roughly 10,000 people in Kapaʻa to tiny hamlets. Below are the larger or more notable of those from the northernmost end of Hawaii Route 560 to the western terminus of Hawaii Route 50 : Located on the southeastern side of
700-451: A quarter of the island's southern end marked the boundaries of the two chiefs: Kāʻeo 's land was identified by black stones and Kawaihoa's by white stones. Eventually, a great battle took place, known as Pali Kamakaui . Kāʻeo's two brothers from the island of Maui , Kaʻiana and his half-brother Kahekili II , the King of Maui, fought for Kāʻeo, and Niʻihau was united under his rule. Kawaihoa
770-548: A record in hourly precipitation. During a storm on January 24–25, 1956, a rain gauge at Kauaʻi's former Kilauea Sugar Plantation recorded a record twelve in (305 mm) of precipitation in just 60 minutes. The value for one hour is an underestimate, since the rain gauge overflowed, which may have resulted in an error by as much as 1 in (25 mm). An accurate measurement may have exceeded Holt, Missouri 's world-record rainfall of 12 in (300 mm) in 42 minutes on June 22, 1947. Hawaii Standard Time ( UTC−10:00 )
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#1732782733982840-564: A safe haven from habitat encroachments. According to Robinson, conditions there are better than the government refuges of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands . When the Robinsons originally purchased Niʻihau, no monk seals were present, because they lived in the northwestern part of the Hawaiian island chain, Necker and Midway islands. They have been relocated to the main Hawaiian island chain by NOAA fisheries over
910-416: Is 1,280 feet (390 m). The island is about 6 million years old, making it geologically older than the 5.8-million-year-old neighboring island of Kauaʻi to the northeast. Niʻihau is the remnant of the southwestern slope of what was once a much larger volcano. The entire summit and other slopes collapsed into the ocean in a giant prehistoric landslide . The island is relatively arid because it lies in
980-597: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Niihau Niʻihau ( Hawaiian : [ˈniʔiˈhɐw] ), anglicized as Niihau ( / ˈ n iː ( i ) h aʊ / NEE -(ee-)how ), is the westernmost main and seventh largest inhabited island in Hawaii . It is 17.5 miles (28.2 km) southwest of Kauaʻi across the Kaulakahi Channel . Its area is 69.5 square miles (180 km ). Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland habitats for
1050-475: Is avoided and no accommodation exists. Since 1992, hunting safaris provide income from tourists who pay to visit the island to hunt eland , aoudad , and oryx , as well as wild sheep and boars . Any meat the hunters do not take with them is given to the village. Kauai Kauaʻi ( Hawaiian: [kɐwˈwɐʔi] ), anglicized as Kauai ( English: / ˈ k aʊ aɪ / KOW -eye or / k ɑː ˈ w ɑː . iː / kah- WAH -ee ),
1120-612: Is currently managed by brothers Bruce and Keith Robinson . The people of Niʻihau are noted for their gemlike lei pūpū (shell lei) craftsmanship. They speak Hawaiian as a primary language. The island has attracted some controversy for the strict rules the Robinson family imposes on the island and its inhabitants. Niʻihau is located about 18 miles (29 km) west of Kauaʻi , and the tiny, uninhabited island of Lehua lies 0.7 miles (0.61 nmi; 1.1 km) north of Niʻihau. Niʻihau's dimensions are 6.2 miles by 18.6 miles (10 km × 30 km). The maximum elevation (Paniau)
1190-486: Is free. Niʻihau has no telephone services and no paved roads. Horses are the main form of transportation; bicycles are also used. There are no power lines; solar power provides all electricity. There is no plumbing or running water on the island. Water comes from rainwater catchment . The Robinson family established most of these conditions. There is no hotel, and barges deliver groceries from Kauaʻi, often purchased by relatives, with free shipping. Residents generally speak
1260-600: Is home to the U.S. Navy's "Barking Sands" Pacific Missile Range Facility , on the western shore. MF and HF (" shortwave ") radio station WWVH , sister station to WWV and low frequency WWVB in Fort Collins, Colorado , is on the west coast of Kauaʻi, about 3 mi (5 km) south of Barking Sands. WWVH, WWV and WWVB are operated by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology , broadcasting standard time and frequency information to
1330-672: Is nearly ubiquitous among the islanders, and there are three separate styles of slack-key music, with an older style originating from Kohala . The Hawaii Department of Education operates the Niʻihau School , a K–12 school. Academic subjects and computer literacy are combined with teaching students to "thrive from the land". The school is powered entirely by solar power . The number of students varies from 25 to 50 since families often travel between Niʻihau and Kauaʻi. Schoolchildren may stay with relatives in west Kauaʻi, where they attend one of two Niʻihau-focused public charter schools . At
1400-651: Is observed on Kauaʻi year-round. When mainland states are on daylight saving time , for example, the time on Kauaʻi is three hours behind the West Coast of the United States and six hours behind the East Coast . Tourism is Kauaʻi's largest industry. In 2007, 1,271,000 people visited. The two largest groups were from the continental United States (84% of all visitors) and Japan (3%). As of 2003, approximately 27,000 jobs existed on Kauaʻi. The largest sector
1470-563: Is one of the main Hawaiian Islands . It has an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km ), making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the 21st-largest island in the United States . Kauaʻi lies 73 miles (117 km) northwest of Oʻahu , across the Kauaʻi Channel . The island's 2020 population was 73,298. Styling itself the "Garden Isle", Kauaʻi is the site of Waimea Canyon State Park and Na Pali Coast State Park . It forms
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#17327827339821540-491: Is spoken as a primary language. Oral tradition maintains that the Niʻihau dialect is closer to the Hawaiian register spoken during the time of contact with Europeans; there is linguistic evidence to support this claim, such as the pronunciation of k as /t/ . English is the second language. Some residents have radio and television sets, although limited reception effectively limits the latter to watching pre-recorded media. Niʻihau
1610-482: Is subject to regular droughts that occasionally force the population to evacuate to Kauaʻi temporarily, until rainfall replenishes their water supply. Residents commonly also commute to Kauaʻi for work, medical care, or school, and many of them call both islands home. To avoid a long boat ride, the island's owners maintain an Agusta A109 helicopter for emergencies and for transporting Navy contractors and residents to and from Kauaʻi. Helicopter tours and safaris help offset
1680-485: Is the Mt. Waiʻaleʻale rain gauge. Mt. Waiʻaleʻale is often cited as the wettest spot on earth, although this has been disputed. Based on data for the period from 1931 through 1960, the average yearly precipitation was 460 in (11,700 mm) (U.S. Environmental Science Services Administration, 1968). Between 1949 and 2004, the average yearly precipitation at Mt. Waiʻaleʻale was 374 in (9,500 mm). Kauaʻi also holds
1750-541: The 2016 presidential election , 34 votes were cast for president, of which 20 were for Donald Trump and 10 for Hillary Clinton . In 2020, Donald Trump won 43 out of the 43 ballots cast in Niʻihau against Joe Biden . The 2010 census states that there were 170 people living on the island. However, witness accounts estimate that the population actually ranges between 35 and 50 people. Some support themselves largely by subsistence fishing and farming, while others depend on welfare . All residents live rent-free, and meat
1820-468: The Hawaiian coot , the Hawaiian stilt , and the Hawaiian duck . The island is designated as critical habitat for Brighamia insignis , an endemic and endangered species of Hawaiian lobelioid . The United States Census Bureau defines Niʻihau and the neighboring island and State Seabird Sanctuary of Lehua as Census Tract 410 of Kauai County, Hawaii . Its 2000 census population was 160, most of whom are native Hawaiians; its 2010 census population
1890-492: The Ke Kula Niʻihau o Kekaha school , students speak primarily the Niʻihau dialect through the early elementary grades, and then Hawaiian and English through grade 12. The school has a digital recording and video system, which helps to preserve and teach traditional Niʻihau and Hawaiian culture. At the other west Kauaʻi school, Kula Aupuni Niʻihau a Kahelelani Aloha (KANAKA), English is used in all grades, while still supporting
1960-476: The Niʻihau dialect of Hawaiian as their first language, in part encouraged by terms in the original purchase contract which obligated the new owners to help preserve Hawaiian culture and tradition. The Niʻihau dialect differs from modern standard Hawaiian in that, for example, [t] and [ɾ] are the most common realizations of the phonemes /k/ and /l/ , respectively. Niʻihau is the only island where Hawaiian
2030-636: The State Department seriously studied the proposal. In 2004 President George W. Bush received all but one of the 40 votes cast on the island. The remaining vote was cast for Green Party nominee David Cobb . Fifty-one registered voters did not cast ballots. In 2006 Dan Akaka received 60% of votes in the 2006 Senate election to Cynthia Thielen 's 36%. In 2008, Niʻihau's precinct was one of only 3 of Hawaiʻi's 538 precincts to vote for John McCain over Barack Obama . McCain received 35 votes, Obama received 4, and Cynthia McKinney received 1. In
2100-529: The rain shadow of Kauaʻi and lacks the elevation needed to catch significant amounts of trade wind rainfall. Niʻihau, therefore, depends on winter Kona storms for its rain, when more northerly weather systems intrude into the region. As such, the island is subject to long periods of drought . Historical droughts on Niʻihau have been recorded several times, one in 1792 by Captain James Cook 's former junior officer, George Vancouver , who had been told that
2170-634: The "standard" Hawaiʻi dialect by [k] . This difference applies to all words with these sounds, so the Kauaian name for Kauaʻi was pronounced "Tauaʻi", and Kapaʻa was pronounced "Tapaʻa". Polynesian inhabitants settled on the island about 600 to 800 C.E., as indicated by radiocarbon dating of archeological sites. They are believed to have come from the Marquesas Islands . A second wave arrived by sea-canoe from Tahiti around 800–1000 C.E. Many Hawaiian traditions and belief structures derive from
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2240-660: The Island to the main highways of Kauaʻi are: The Kauaʻi Bus is the public transportation service of the County of Kauaʻi. The Kauaʻi Heritage Center of Hawaiʻian Culture and the Arts was founded in 1998. Its mission is to nurture appreciation and respect for Hawaiian culture. It offers classes in Hawaiian language, hula , lei and cordage making, the lunar calendar, chanting, and trips to cultural sites. Kauaʻi has been featured in more than 70 Hollywood movies and TV shows, including
2310-454: The Niʻihau dialect. Both schools foster the culture, values, and spirituality of Niʻihau. Efforts to establish KANAKA began in 1993 and its current version was established in 1999. Approximately 80% of Niʻihau's income comes from a small Navy installation atop 1,300-foot-high cliffs. Remote-controlled tracking devices are used for testing and training with Kaua'i's Pacific Missile Range Facility . Modern missile defense tests are conducted at
2380-810: The beaches on Kauaʻi's eastern shores. Finally, in 1810, Kamehameha amassed a great fleet, and Kaumualiʻi, the last independent aliʻi , surrendered rather than risk further bloodshed. Independence again became feasible after Kamehameha's death in 1819, but was put down when Kamehameha's widow Kaʻahumanu kidnapped Kaumualiʻi and forced him to marry her. Thereafter Niʻihau remained part of the unified Hawaiian Kingdom . Elizabeth McHutchison Sinclair (1800–1892) purchased Niʻihau and parts of Kauaʻi from Kamehameha V in 1864 for US$ 10,000 (equivalent to about $ 190,000 in 2023) in gold. Sinclair chose Niʻihau over other options, including Waikīkī and Pearl Harbor . By around 1875, Niʻihau's population consisted of about 350 Native Hawaiians, with 20,000 sheep . This era marked
2450-532: The bulk of Kauai County , which also includes the small nearby islands of Kaʻula , Lehua , and Niʻihau . Hawaiian narrative derives the name's origin from the legend of Hawaiʻiloa , the Polynesian navigator credited with discovering the Hawaiian Islands. The story relates that he named the island after a favorite son; a possible translation of Kauaʻi is "place around the neck", describing how
2520-523: The central mountains, carving out canyons with many scenic waterfalls. On the west side of the island, Waimea town is at the mouth of the Waimea River , whose flow formed Waimea Canyon, one of the world's most scenic canyons, which is part of Waimea Canyon State Park . At three thousand ft (910 m) deep, Waimea Canyon is often called "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific". Kokeo Point lies on
2590-488: The costs of this service. A form of ipu art is known to have developed solely on the island of Niʻihau. In this method, after a design is carved in the skin of a fresh gourd , it is filled with dye which, after several weeks, changes the color of the uncarved portions of the surface where the skin is intact. Hawaiian music plays a central role on the island, with a cappella singers making use of only two or three tones and changing rhythms. Ukulele and guitar playing
2660-471: The culture that arrived with these Tahitians. In 1778, Captain James Cook arrived at Waimea Bay, the first European known to have reached the Hawaiian islands. He named the archipelago the "Sandwich Isles" after his patron, the 6th Earl of Sandwich, George Montagu. During the reign of King Kamehameha , Kauaʻi and Niʻihau joined his Kingdom of Hawaiʻi , the last to do so. Their ruler, Kaumualiʻi , resisted Kamehameha for years. Kamehameha twice prepared
2730-478: The dry climate. Island co-owner Keith Robinson, a noted conservationist , preserved and documented many of Niʻihau's natural plant resources. The island is designated as a critical habitat for the ʻōlulu , an endemic and endangered species of Hawaiian lobelioid . Pritchardia aylmer-robinsonii , a palm tree named for Keith Robinson's uncle Aylmer Robinson , is an endangered species native to Niʻihau. Several bird species thrive on Niʻihau. The largest lakes on
2800-421: The eastern two-thirds of the island. Kauaʻi's highest peak is Kawaikini , at 5,243 ft (1,598 m). The second-highest is Mount Waiʻaleʻale , near the center of the island, 5,148 ft (1,569 m) above sea level. One of the wettest spots on earth, with an annual average rainfall of 460 in (38.3 ft; 11.7 m), is on the east side of Mount Waiʻaleʻale. The rain has eroded deep valleys in
2870-426: The ecosystem and culture, possibilities include: JP-8 (jet fuel) generation by the lignocellulose process; military, including a possible runway; and windmill energy production. Robinson has declined offers to purchase sand from Niʻihau's beaches, because of adverse environmental effects. Niʻihau's owners have offered half-day helicopter and beach tours of the island since 1987, although contact with residents
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2940-448: The end of the 19th century, Hawaiians had stopped weaving makaloa due to changes in population, culture, economics, and the environment. In 1915, Sinclair's grandson Aubrey Robinson closed the island to most visitors. Even relatives of the inhabitants could visit only by special permission. Upon Aubrey's death in 1939 the island passed to his son Aylmer, and in 1968 to Aylmer's youngest brother Lester. Upon Lester's wife Helen's death,
3010-455: The end of the art of Hawaiian mat-weaving made famous by the people of Niʻihau. Makaloa ( Cyperus laevigatus ), a native sedge , used to grow on the edges of Niʻihau's three intermittent lakes . The stems were harvested and used to weave moena makaloa (mats), considered the "finest sleeping mats in Polynesia ". The mats were valued by aliʻi and foreign visitors alike, but by
3080-437: The first sugarcane plantation was founded on Kauaʻi, and for the next century the industry dominated Hawaiʻi's economy. Kauaʻi's last sugarcane plantation, the 118-year-old Gay & Robinson Plantation, stopped planting sugar in 2008. In 1835, Old Koloa Town opened a sugar mill. From 1906 to 1934 the office of County Clerk was held by John Mahiʻai Kāneakua , who had been active in attempts to restore Queen Liliuokalani to
3150-505: The inputs cost $ 69.3 million and $ 83 million, respectively. By 2011, 92% of KIUC's power came from diesel. By 2017, KIUC's fuel mix was 56% fossil fuels , 9% hydroelectric , 12% biomass and 23% solar . KIUC integrated large-scale solar into its grid so that, during sunny daylight hours, 97% or more of its generation came from renewable sources. KIUC offers $ 1,000 rebates to residential customers who have solar water heating systems installed on their homes. In 2017, KIUC opened
3220-466: The island are Hālaliʻi Lake , Halulu Lake and Nonopapa Lake . These intermittent playa lakes on the island provide wetland habitats for the ʻalae keʻokeʻo (Hawaiian coot), the āeʻo (Hawaiian subspecies of Black-necked Stilt), and the koloa maoli (Hawaiian duck). The critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal ( Monachus schauinslandi ) is found in high numbers on Niʻihau's shores. Robinson states that Niʻihau's secluded shoreline offers them
3290-401: The island passed to his sons Bruce Robinson and Keith Robinson, the current co-owners. (See Sinclair-Robinson family tree ) The Robinson family has attracted controversy over the strict rules they have imposed on the island’s inhabitants, largely enforced by Bruce Robinson’s wife, Leiana Robinson. The rules include a ban on alcohol and cigarettes, being prohibited from talking about Ni’ihau to
3360-501: The island's south side. The Na Pali Coast is an isolated center for recreation, including kayaking along the beaches and hiking on the trail along the coastal cliffs. The headlands Kamala Point, Kawai Point, Kawelikoa Point, Kuahonu Point, Paoʻa Point, and Molehu Point are on the southeast of the island; Makaokahaʻi Point and Weli Point are in the south. Kauaʻi's climate is tropical, with generally humid and stable conditions year-round, although infrequent storms cause severe flooding. At
3430-516: The island, Lihue Airport is the island's only commercial airport. It has direct routes to Honolulu , Kahului/Maui , Kona/Hawaii , the U.S. mainland, and Vancouver, Canada. General aviation airports on the island are Port Allen Airport and Princeville Airport . The Pacific Missile Range Facility has a 6,006-foot runway that is closed to general aviation traffic, but could be used for an emergency landing . Several state highways serve Kauaʻi County: Other major highways that link other parts of
3500-511: The island. No military personnel are permanently stationed there, but the U.S. military has used the island for training special operations units, which included hiring Hawaiians who live on Niʻihau as "enemy" trackers. The island of Niʻihau was considered as a possible location for the United Nations headquarters in 1944 by Franklin D. Roosevelt , who had visited Hawaii in 1934. Under Cordell Hull , Roosevelt's Secretary of State ,
3570-613: The lower elevations, the annual precipitation varies from an average of about 50 in (130 cm) on the windward (northeastern) shore to less than 20 in (51 cm) on the (southwestern) leeward side of the island. The average temperature in Lihu'e , the county seat, ranges from 78 °F (26 °C) in February to 85 °F (29 °C) in August and September. Kauaʻi's mountainous regions offer cooler temperatures in contrast to
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#17327827339823640-512: The media, a permanent ban from the island if a resident leaves for an extended amount of time, and a ban on long hair and beards for men. The island lacks electricity and running water. Niʻihau was the site of a disturbing series of events during and not long after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In what has come to be called the Niʻihau Incident (or the Battle of Niʻihau),
3710-413: The musical South Pacific and Disney's 2002 animated feature film Lilo & Stitch along with its franchise's three sequel films (2003's Stitch! The Movie , 2005's Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch , and 2006's Leroy & Stitch ) and first television series ( Lilo & Stitch: The Series ). Scenes from South Pacific were filmed in the vicinity of Hanalei . Waimea Canyon
3780-420: The past thirty years, and some have found homes on Niʻihau. Big game herds, imported from stock on Molokaʻi Ranch in recent years, roam Niʻihau's forests and flatlands. Eland and aoudad are abundant, along with oryxes , wild boars and feral sheep . These big game herds provide income from hunting safari tourism. Prior to the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii under Kamehameha I , Niʻihau
3850-463: The people and the land were presented as South American. Major acts of two Elvis Presley films, 1961's Blue Hawaii and 1966's Paradise, Hawaiian Style , were filmed on Kauaʻi. Both have scenes shot at the Coco Palms resort . The Descendants , a 2011 film, has major parts shot in Kauaʻi, where the main character and his cousins own ancestral lands they are considering selling. The film
3920-448: The people of Niʻihau had abandoned the island because of a severe drought and had moved to Kauaʻi to escape famine. As an arid island, Niʻihau was barren of trees for centuries – Captain James Cook reported it treeless in 1778. Aubrey Robinson , grandfather of current owners Bruce Robinson and Keith Robinson, planted 10,000 trees per year during much of his ownership of the island; Robinson's afforestation efforts increased rainfall in
3990-562: The public. Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) is a not-for-profit electric utility cooperative headquartered in Līhuʻe , which provides electricity for the island. It has 24,000 member-owners who elect a nine-member board of directors. In the 1970s, Kauaʻi burned sugarcane waste to supply most of its electricity. By 2008, transition of energy sources and growth in generating capacity had occurred, with most of Kauaʻi's electricity produced by imported liquid petroleum . In 2006 and 2007,
4060-476: The ship, Kapahulehua had to deal with 6 of 17 crew members who quit their duties at sea. A 1978 attempt in which he did not participate capsized after six hours and led to the death of surfer Eddie Aikau . In later life, he taught the Hawaiian language , wrote vocabulary books, and officiated at traditional Hawaiian rites. Kapahulehua died in Honolulu, Hawaii . This article about an American canoeist
4130-609: The site for the U.S. and its allies. The installation brings in millions of dollars a year, and provides the island with a stable economic base without the complexity of tourism or industrial development. The sale of shells and shell jewelry is an additional source of income. Its beaches are known for their pūpū , tiny shells that wash onto shore during winter months. Species used for shell leis includes momi ( Euplica varians ), laiki or rice shells ( Mitrella margarita ) and kahelelani ( Leptothyra verruca ). The shells and jewelry are so popular that Governor Linda Lingle signed
4200-567: The throne after the U.S. takeover of Hawaiʻi in 1893. Valdemar Emil Knudsen was a Norwegian who arrived on Kauai in 1857. Knudsen, or "Kanuka", originally managed Grove Farm in Koloa . He later sought a warmer land and purchased the leases to Mana and Kekaha , where he became a successful sugarcane plantation owner. He settled in Waiawa, between Mana and Kekaha, immediately across the channel from Niʻihau Island. His son, Eric Alfred Knudsen ,
4270-733: The warm coastal areas. At Kōkeʻe State Park , 3,200–4,200 ft (980–1,280 m) ASL , day temperatures vary from an average of 45 °F (7 °C) in January to 68 °F (20 °C) in July. In the winter, temperatures have been known to drop down to the 30s and 40s at the park, which holds an unofficial record low of 29 °F (−2 °C), recorded in February 1986 at Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow. Precipitation in Kauaʻi's mountainous regions averages 50–100 in (1,300–2,500 mm) annually. About ten mi (16 km) southeast of Kōkeʻe state park, at an elevation of 5,075 ft (1,547 m),
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#17327827339824340-406: Was 10.5%, compared to the mainland at 10.7%. As of 2014, the median home price was about $ 400,000. Land in Kauaʻi is very fertile; farmers raise many varieties of fruit and other crops. Guava , coffee , sugarcane, mango , banana , papaya , avocado , star fruit , kava , noni and pineapple are all cultivated on the island, but most agricultural land is used for raising cattle. Kauaʻi
4410-514: Was 170. At the 2020 census , the population had fallen to 84. Elizabeth Sinclair purchased Niʻihau in 1864 for US$ 10,000 (equivalent to about $ 190,000 in 2023) from the Kingdom of Hawaii . The island's private ownership passed on to her descendants, the Robinsons . During World War II , the island was the site of the Niʻihau incident , in which, following the attack on Pearl Harbor ,
4480-416: Was accommodation/food services (26%, 6,800 jobs), followed by government (15%) and retail (14.5%), with agriculture accounting for 2.9% (780 jobs) and educational services providing 0.7% (183 jobs). The visitors' industry accounted for one third of Kauaʻi's income. Employment is dominated by small businesses, with 87% of all non-farm businesses having fewer than 20 employees. As of 2003, Kauaʻi's poverty rate
4550-484: Was as a sugar farm. The five-million-year-old island, the oldest of the main islands (Niʻihau is older), was formed volcanically as the Pacific Plate passed over the Hawaii hotspot . It consists of an eroded shield volcano with a 9.3–12.4 mi (15.0–20.0 km) diameter summit caldera and two flanking calderas. Rejuvenation of the volcano 0.6–1.40 million years ago left lava flows and cones over
4620-565: Was banished to the south end of the island and Kāʻeo moved to the middle of the island to govern. Kāʻeo married the Queen Kamakahelei , and a future king of Niʻihau and Kauaʻi named Kaumualiʻi was born in 1790. Kauaʻi and Niʻihau are said to have carried the "highest blood lines" in the Hawaiian Islands. Kamehameha managed to unify all of the islands by 1795, except for Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. Two attempts to conquer those islands had failed, and Kamehameha lost many men: bodies covered
4690-552: Was born in Waiawa. Knudsen was appointed land administrator by King Kamehameha for an area covering 400 km , and was given the title konohiki as well as a position as a noble under the king. Knudsen, who spoke fluent Hawaiian , later became an elected representative and an influential politician. Knudsen lends his name to the Knudsen Gap, a narrow pass between Hã’upu Ridge and the Kahili Ridge. Its primary function
4760-468: Was once a large-scale export, but aggressive Mexican price competition ended that as well. Mullet farming has been popular on Niʻihau, with ponds and lakes stocked with baby mullet, which reach 9–10 pounds (4.1–4.5 kg) apiece before being harvested and sold on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu . Bruce Robinson, Niʻihau's co-owner, is seeking and considering new forms of non-invasive income generation. Depending on feasibility, impact, and ecological footprint on
4830-407: Was ruled by the aliʻi . Kahelelani was the first of the Niʻihau aliʻi. His name is now used to refer to the Niʻihau kahelelani , the puka shell of the wart turbans ( Leptothyra verruca ), used to make exquisite Niʻihau shell jewelry. Kāʻeokūlani was a ruler of northern Niʻihau who unified the island after defeating his rival, a chief named Kawaihoa . A stone wall ( Pāpōhaku ) across
4900-630: Was used in the filming of the 1993 film Jurassic Park and its 2015 sequel Jurassic World was shot in Kauai. Scenes by a waterfall in Mighty Joe Young were shot in Kauai. Parts of the island were used for the opening scenes of the film Raiders of the Lost Ark . Other movies filmed here include Six Days Seven Nights , the 1976 King Kong , and John Ford 's 1963 film Donovan's Reef . Recent films include Tropic Thunder and
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