Hawaii's Forbidden Island
 

Is there any way to visit Niihau? I think it is sometimes referred to as the Forbidden Island. Hawaii in its purest unadulterated state must be incredible.

My understanding is that you can take a helicopter flight to the island and walk around for a while. Contact with those who live there, or extensive travel on the island, is STRICTLY forbidden.

Why is contact forbidden? <BR>Who lives there?

In my guide book it says that the Robinson Family who controls the island does not allow visitors to land. Apparently a large intimidating man will greet your helicopter and tell you to leave if you land. This is in conflict with Hawaii State law that provides public access to all beaches disregarding private ownership. Hawaiians who marry non- Hawaiians are asked to leave the island yet one member of the Robinson family is married to a Hawaiian breaking the family imposed law. Most natives live on welfare, the Robinsons of course do not. No commercial enterprises to hurt the environment a plus in most eyes a closer eye suggests the Robinsons are protecting the family investment. The natives go without jobs. <BR> <BR>In pre-contact days the kings would give the natives a plot of land that a family could live off of. Obviously this is not happening on Niihau or it is no longer a way of the life. <BR> <BR>Sometimes we have these idyllic images in our head of the way things are in the islands. Personally I suspect life is much rougher in reality. It does not seem like much of a democracy on Niihau. I think it is wrong that after all these years that family controls the entire island. The Hawaiians that live on the land most likely have a lineage that stretches back several centuries on the island. I am by no means an authority, these are just my observations. <BR>

The Robinson's ancestors bought the island from the kings about 100 or more years ago.

Here's the scoop from my Frommer's Hawaii 2001 book (sorry, Fodor's!): <BR> <BR>"Just 17 miles across the Kaulakahi Channel from Kauai lies the arid island of Niihau, "The Forbidden Island." Visitors are not allowed on this privately owned island, which is a working cattle and sheep ranch with about 200 residents living in the single town of Puuwai. <BR> <BR>In 1864, after an unusually wet winter that turned the dry scrub land of the small island (18 miles by 6 miles) into green pasture, Eliza Sinclair, a Scottish widow, decided to buy Niihau and move her family there. King Kamehameha IV agreed to sell the island for $10,000. The next year, normal weather returned and the green pastures withered into sparse semi-desert vegetation. <BR> <BR>Today, Sinclair's great-great-grandson, Bruce Robinson, continues to run the ranching operation and fiercely protects the privacy of the island residents. From the outside, life on Niihau has not changed much in 136 years: There's no running water, indoor plumbing, or electrically generated power. The Hawaiian language is still spoken. Most of the men work for the ranch when there is work, and fish and hunt when there is no work. The women specialize in gathering and stringing 'pupu Niihau,' prized, tiny white seashells (found only on this island), into Niihau's famous leis, which fetch prices in the thousands of dollars." <BR> <BR>The book also mentions that Bubbles Below Scuba Charters of Kapaa, Kauai, offers a three-tank trip for experienced divers ONLY to Niihau, 90 minutes by boat from Kauai. It says that "You should be comfortable with vertical drop-offs, huge underwater caverns, possibly choppy surface conditions, and significant currents. You should also be willing to share water space with the resident sharks." <BR> <BR>This is probably more information than you wanted, but I hope it helps. <BR>

I liked reading that Lynn, it is nice to know that the Robinsons provide some work for residents. The shell leis that they spoke about are frequently on highend entertainers. They look at a distance like the puca shells from the 70's but drape down to the waist.

The residents of Niihau are considered guests of the Robinsons. Unlike tenants elsewhere however, the are charged no rent, are given all the free pork and mutton they desire, beef at well below market prices, land to farm (although no one has farmed it in 30 years) and the Robinson's employ 3 times as many people as they actually need to run their business. In exchange they demand total silence as to what life is like on Niihau. For a perspective of Keith Robinson's view of Niihau, go to <BR>www.hawaiireal.com/maps/niihau8.htm. <BR>

I live on Niihau.

I heard the Hawaiian Island of Kahoolawe is going to be the next big tourist island. Plans are already in the works to build world-class resorts, restaurants, and infrastructure onto the island. Sounds great!!!

Where do some of these rumors start? The Hawaiians who live on Niihau are allowed to come and go as they please, and are free to talk about life over there. Every so often the local news will run a series on Niihau. There is a public school on the island where classes are conducted in the Hawaiian language, but many students go to schools on Kauai. <BR>In accordance with Hawaii law, you can access the beaches by boat, but not above the high tide line. Visitors are only allowed with advance permission, just as it would be on any private estate.

Sue - well said.<BR><BR>Re Kahoolawe, I was told it'll be a while before there's public access, USN has to remove LOTS of unexploded shells etc first.<BR>p.

Do the Hawaiians on Nihau still practice cannibalism?

Yes

What did one cannibal say to the other?<BR><BR>"I don't know about you, but I'm having a ball"

The flight to Niihau was very expensive. It cost me an arm and a leg.

Sue et al, did you read the article referenced by Dawn? Fascinating! It was written several years ago by one of the Robinsons, and it seems rather cryptic with regard to keeping defense research secrets, and the privacy oath seems to extend to the "way of life" also. Here's a quote from Mr. Robinson: "the Niihau people clearly understand that the less the outside world knows about our property, the less trouble we and they will have with theft, vandalism, trespassing and destructive meddling." It would seem that residents ("guests") there are NOT entirely free to talk about life on Nihau... Also, this article has a link to other, newer articles, indicating possible sale of the island by the Robinsons, just to pay taxes (I can sympathize with them there!). Any other current info out there?

Other than Nihau, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island, Molokai and Lanai are there any other islands that are inhabited ?

Yes<BR><BR>Sand Island<BR><BR>One of the Midway group.<BR><BR>Ron