Successfully Avoiding Anything Planned
Tag Archives: Molokai
Kalaupapa
When I first heard the word “Kalaupapa” I wondered why someone was telling me to call my father. I never could have imagined the depth of history, torment, heroism, and bravery this place encompasses. Kalaupapa, meaning “Flat Plain,” is on the island of Moloka‘i and beginning in 1866 under King Kamehameha V, was the site where people with leprosy were forced to relocate. Separated from the rest of Moloka’i by magnific cliffs and once only accessible by boat, this peninsula became home to those with what’s now called Hansen’s Disease. They were sent away to be quarantined from the rest of society. For over a century, men, women, and children were permanently torn from their families and friends and sent to live in isolation. Continue reading