Molokai

Molokaʻi The Friendly Isle
Satellite image of Molokaʻi.
Geography
Location in the state of Hawaii.
Area	260.0 sq mi (673.4 km²)
Rank	5th largest Hawaiian Island
Highest point	Kamakou
	4,961 ft (1,512 m)[1]
Demographics
Population	7,404 (as of 2000)
Density	28/sq mi (11/km²)
Official Insignias
Flower	Kukui
Color	ʻŌmaʻomaʻo (green)

Molokaʻi or Molokai (pronounced /ˈmɒləkaɪ/ in English and [ˈmoloˈkɐʔi] in Hawaiian)) is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) in size with a land area of 260.0 square miles (673.4 km²), making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States.^[2] It lies east of Oʻahu across the 25-mile (40 km) wide Kaiwi Channel and north of Lānaʻi, separated from it by the Kalohi Channel. The lights of Honolulu are visible at night from the west end of Molokaʻi, while nearby Lānaʻi and Maui are clearly visible from anywhere along the south shore of the Island.

Molokai is known as the long time residence of Father Damien de Veuster, the Belgium priest who cared for sufferers of Hansen's Disease. Historically, a small north shore colony on Molokai Island, Kalaupapa, was a refuge for sufferers of Hansen's Disease, also known as leprosy. There are no active cases of Hansen's Disease on Molokai Island. Those who continue to live in the Kalaupapa colony are descendant families of the previously afflicted disease patients.^[3]

National Geographic Traveler magazine and National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations conduct annual Destination Scorecard surveys, aided by George Washington University. A panel of 522 experts in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship are consulted to review such conditions on 111 selected human-inhabited islands and archipelagos around the world. Molokai Island is ranked # 10 among the 111 island destinations of the world according to all of the survey factors assessed by the panel. The survey cited Molokai Island's pristine breathtaking tropical landscape, environmental stewardship, rich and deep Hawaiian traditions (the island's mana), and visitor-friendly culture. The nearest top ranking neighbor islands, Hawaii (the Big Island), Kauai, Maui and Oahu, ranked #s 50, 61, 81 and 104, respectively. For comparison, the island of Tahiti ranked # 57. ^[4]

Geography

Molokaʻi is built from two distinct volcanoes known as East Molokaʻi and the much smaller West Molokaʻi. The highest point is Kamakou on East Molokaʻi, at 4,970 feet (1,515 m). East Molokaʻi volcano, like Koʻolau on Oʻahu is today only what remains standing of the southern half of the original mountain. The northern half suffered a catastrophic collapse about 1.5 million years ago and now lies as a debris field scattered northward across the Pacific Ocean bottom,^[5] while what remains on the island are the highest sea cliffs in the world.^[6] Views of these sea cliffs are presented in the movie Jurassic Park III. The south shore of Molokaʻi boasts the longest fringing reef in the U.S. and its holdings—nearly 40 km long.^[7]

The mouth of Halawa Valley, located at the extreme east end of Molokaʻi

Molokaʻi is part of the state of Hawaiʻi and located in Maui County, except for the Kalaupapa peninsula, which is separately administered as Kalawao County. Maui County encompasses Maui, Lānaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe in addition to Molokaʻi. The largest town on the island is Kaunakakai, which is one of two small ports on the island. Molokai Airport is located on West Molokaʻi. The United States Census Bureau divides the island into three census tracts: Census Tract 317 and Census Tract 318 of Maui County, Hawaii, and Census Tract 319 of Kalawao County, Hawaii. The total 2000 census population of these was 7,404, living on a land area of 260.02 square miles (673.45 km²). ^[8]

Molokaʻi is separated from Oʻahu on the west by the Kaiwi Channel, from Maui on the southeast by the Pailolo channel, and from Lānaʻi on the south by the Kalohi Channel.

Aerial view of Kalaupapa Peninsula.

Ecology

Molokai is split into two main geographical areas. The low western half is very dry and the soil is heavily denuded due to grazing by goats and poor land management practices. It lacks much ground cover and virtually the entire section is covered in non-native Kiawe trees. One of the few natural areas remaining almost intact are the coastal dunes of Moʻomomi, which are a Nature Conservancy preserve.

The eastern half of the island is a high plateau rising up to an elevation of 4,900 ft (1,500 m) on Kamakou peak. The eastern half is covered with lush rainforest that get over 300 inches (7,600 mm) of rain per year. The high elevation forests are primarily native 'Ōhi'a lehua trees and an extremely diverse endemic flora and fauna in the understory. Much of the summit area is protected by the Nature Conservancy's Kamakou and Pelekunu valley preserves. Below 4,000 feet (1,200 m), the vegetation changes into a primarily exotic flora of guava, eucalyptus, and cypress. Introduced axis deer and wild pigs roam the native forests, destroying native plants, expanding exotic plants through disturbance and distribution of their seeds, and threatening endemic insects. Near the summit area there is the unique Pepeopae bog, where miniature ohias and other plants coat the soggy ground.

Molokai is home to a great number of endemic plant and animal species. However, many of its species, including the Oloma'o, Molokai Creeper, and the Molokaʻi ʻŌʻō have become extinct. Molokai also has a wingless fly among many endemic insects.

Culture

Sign greeting visitors to Molokaʻi at exit to Molokai Airport.

Molokaʻi is known as the "Friendly Isle" and is one of the least developed of the main Hawaiian islands.

The island's population is diverse, with a high percentage of people of Hawaiian ancestry. Molokaʻi is noted for the numerous Hawaiian fish ponds along its south shore. Some of these have been restored in recent years. Molokaʻi is also the oldest site for sufferers of leprosy in the United States (the leper colony at Kalaupapa), which became widely known through the work of Father Damien.

There are several small hotels in Kaunakakai and a resort located on the west end. Pāpōhaku Beach on the western-facing shore is one of the largest and most spectacular beaches in the Hawaiian Islands.

The population of Molokaʻi today ranges between 6,000 to 8,000 depending on the seasonal tourism on the island. Kirby Wright based his novel Moloka'i Nui Ahina on the life and times of his paniolo (cowboy) grandmother who lived on the east end of the island.

Politics

There have been numerous attempts on Molokaʻi to stop development of hotels and other tourist attractions. The Molokai Ranch, the island's largest employer, was opposed by community members in its attempt to expand, and decided on March 24, 2008, to shut all operations, resulting in a layoff of 120 workers. Molokaʻi has the highest unemployment in all of Hawaiʻi.

Towns and villages

• Kaunakakai
• Kawela Beach, Southcentral Coastline
• Kualapuu
• Maunaloa
• Kalaupapa
• Alii Aimoku of Molokai

References

External links

• Official Moloka‘i Visitors Association website
• The Moloka‘i Dispatch print and electronic newspaper.
• The Moloka‘i Times weekly community newspaper
• "Where Tradition Holds Sway" Article about traditional hula halau on Molokai. [[Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine Vol. 11 No.2 (March 2007).
• On the Rocks article about the Hawaiian limpets, a traditional delicacy known locally as ‘opihi.

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