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Why is Kahoolawe sacred?

Kaho'olawe, A Sacred Island Called in ancient times, “Kanaloa” or “Kohemalamalama,” the island was a place where kahuna and navigators were trained and played an important role in early Pacific migrations.



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Because of the existing hazards, including the UXO, rough terrain and harsh environmental elements, no unauthorized persons are allowed into the Reserve and protective measures have been adopted to maximize safety for those persons with permission to access the Reserve.

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Of the four major islands in the Hawaiian group, tradition tells us that the highest and most sacred places were Mauna Wai'ale'ale on Kaua'i; Mauna Ka'ala on O'ahu; Mauna Haleakala on Maui; and Mauna Kea on Hawai'i.

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U.S. Navy conveys deed of ownership of Kaho'olawe to the State of Hawai'i. The Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission is established to manage activities on the island.

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No one is allowed to land on Niihau unless you are a resident of the island, a member of the Robinson family, or an invited guest. The Robinson family permits helicopter tours, but contact between the visitors and natives is not allowed. Fishermen and sailors may visit the island by sea, but are not able to land.

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Formed approximately 1.2 million years ago, the island was a collection of seven volcanoes that collectively covered a total land area of 5,600 square miles. To put that in perspective, that's 50% larger than the modern day Big Island, and slightly larger than the state of Connecticut.

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How You Can Visit Niihau. Although there isn't an island in the state that encompasses Hawaiian culture more than Niihau, it is not a place to vacation. There are no cars, no stores, no paved roads, no indoor plumbing, and no internet.

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The Robinson's grandfather, Aubrey Robinson planted 10,000 trees per year during much of his ownership of the island; Robinson's afforestation efforts increased rainfall in the dry climate. The dry climate is ideal for the solar power that is used on Niihau, as they do not have electricity or running water.

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'mother tongue') is a dialect of the Hawaiian language spoken on the island of Ni?ihau, more specifically in its only settlement Pu?uwai, and on the island of Kaua?i, specifically near Kekaha, where descendants of families from Ni?ihau now live. Today, the Ni?ihau dialect is taught in Ke Kula Niihau O Kekaha.

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No one is allowed to visit Hawaii's Forbidden Isle—the 70-square-mile island, which on a clear day can be spied from Kauai's west coast—unless they are invited by Niihau owners the Robinson family, or by one of its 70 full-time Native Hawaiian residents.

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One day, during a fishing trip with his brothers, Maui hooked the ocean floor by mistake. He told his brothers that he had caught a great fish and needed them to row with all their might. They paddled so intensely that they lifted the great islands of Hawaii up from the depths of the seas.

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