This is a unique, fascinating, and hallowed place that is unforgettable. Kalaupapa Molokai.
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55 thoughts on “Kalaupapa Leper Settlement: Once Prison, Now Forbidden Refuge”
This is a unique, fascinating, and hallowed place that is unforgettable. Kalaupapa Molokai.
I was lucky to hike down Kalaupapa in 1991. Despite being in reasonably good shape it was a challenging hike. On my descent the view was obscured with fog. It was a wet, humid and sloppy hike due falling in the mud and horse manure that covered the steep trail. As I got closer to the bottom I could see the ocean below and the lovely green peninsula. Absolutely breathtaking!
Richard Marks of Damien Tours met me at the end of trail and i paid the nominal fee ($15 or $25 – I can’t remember). He drove a school bus and showed me the ghost town, the church where St. Damien preached and provided a lovely picnic lunch. Then the tough hike out! Have dreamt many times of returning – very spiritual place! Please no condos!!!!!!
We flew into Kaulaupapa around 2002-2004 and Richard Marks was our guide. It was such a unique and touching experience that I will never forget. Thanks for writing this article and bringing back memories. I hope that when the last residents have passed this place can be preserved as a memorial
We have been to Molokai many times but never made the trip down to Kalaupapa due to my wife’s height issues. I think it would be great if there was an excursion boat that went either from Maui or around the corner of Molokai to see St. Damien’s place of missionary work. As a young child I read “Damien the Leper” and was scared because I thought Hanson’s disease and Biblical leprosy were the same (they’re not). Anyway, we’ve recently read “Molokai” and “Daughter of Molokai” by Bremmert which I highly recommend.
I have always thought that leprosy in the Bible and Hansen’s disease are the same thing. The only difference we are in different times and we have a cure now. The disease only had one name until a man named Hansen saw it under a microscope.
One of the best experiences of my lifetime has been the hike down the seacliff to Kalaupapa and, more so, the tour of the former leper colony. Seeing the beauty of this tragic place, learning about the suffering of so many people and Father Damien’s work firsthand was very humbling and inspiring. Please open again soon.
Best
Martina
I went to Kalaupapa february 2003. I knew father felix rather intimately as well. He was at st rafaels koloa last time I saw him.
Our tour guide and bus driver was a journalist, photographer.
His name eludes me, and later in the tour, I realized he was a patient. I’d like to know his name again.
Thank you for this informative article! My husband’s grandfather was born in Kalawao in 1894, and his great-grandfather was buried there years later. Grandpa was hanai’d to a family in topside Molokai immediately after his birth, then sent to relatives on Hawai’i Island to be brought up.
It was important to us to visit Kalaupapa and we hoped that Richard Marks would be our tour guide, which he was. It was the most memorable trip of our lives. We had read several books about Kalaupapa and Father Damien, and to be there was almost spiritual. Richard and Gloria Marks were delightful people.
The National Parks Service was kind enough to send me a photo of our great-grandfather’s grave, as we were not permitted to visit the cemetery.
Mahalo.
Hi Nancy.
Thanks so much for sharing those touching personal details. We had the same feeling about Gloria and Richard.
Aloha.
It’s history that is here and it should never be gone ! So many people lived there against there wishes and to be forced to live there it heart breaking that they had to put up with it.
Both my wife and I have read some info about this site and we’re very interested in the story of what we thought would happen to these poor suffering family’s
We hope as time goes on that the next generation of people would continue to recognize that this is an history of what happened . Gladly they found a cure , and that helped .
Thanks for writing this article as it was very informative for me. My family has a very long history on the islands and especially on Maui, where my grandmother is has lived there since the 40’s after coming over from Oahu. She is now 106 years old and talk to her about the history of Hawaii.