Niihau Island is one of the rare and mysterious paradise corners of the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. This island, located west of Hawaii in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, is the seventh largest island of the Hawaiian Islands in terms of surface area, but is the smallest inhabited island. The island’s commonly used nickname is “The Forbidden Isle”.
Niihau’s unique history, social structure, and geographic location distinguish it from other Hawaiian islands. This island is famous for being closed to the public and can only be visited with special permission. Niihau is one of the rare regions that attracts attention worldwide with both its historical legends and its present-day uniqueness.
Regarding tourism, island owners have allowed half-day helicopter and ship tours since 1987, provided that contact with local people is limited and they do not offer accommodation. Since 1992, tourists have been allowed to participate in safari tours and hunt wild boar, sheep, oryx and Barbary sheep in order to generate income. However, no outsiders are allowed to enter the island unless invited by the island’s residents.
History of Niihau Island
According to history, in 1864 Elizabeth Sinclair, Niihau Island by Hawaiian King IV. He bought it from Kamehameha for 10,000 dollars in gold. The island has private property status and over time passed to the Robinson family, a wealthy plantation owner from Sinclair’s descendants. Until 1915, the island was protected and closed to foreigners.
Niihau Island, II. It played a minor role on December 7, 1941, during World War II. japanese planes Pearl Harbor While bombing the port, a Japanese fighter pilot, Shigenori Nishikaichi, crashed on the island and threatened the locals for a week. In 1944, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated the island of Niihau as a candidate place to become the United Nations Headquarters.
Features of Niihau Island
Niihau Island is 17 miles southwest of the island of Kauai and 0.7 miles south of the uninhabited island of Lehua. Its total surface area is 180 km², and its highest point is Paniau, which is 390 meters high. Although the island is politically governed by the United States, it is currently owned by brothers Bruce Robinson and Keith Robinson due to its private property status. This causes the island to be considered one of the rare areas that have managed to remain protected and natural.
Unlike many places in the United States that are famous for having advanced technologies, Niihau has a very technologically simple lifestyle. There is no electricity grid on the island and electricity is produced by solar energy or special generators. There are no modern infrastructures on the island such as roads, telephones, sewers, tap water and markets.
While transportation is provided by horse and bicycle, supplies are brought by boats from another island. The schools on the island are affiliated with the Hawaii Department of Education, and 25 to 50 students travel between Niihau Island and Kauai islands by canoe each week.
Although it is not known exactly how many people live on the island, it is estimated that there are approximately 100 people. Current data about the region is quite limited and the most recently updated data goes back to 1875. At that time, 20 thousand sheep and 350 native Hawaiians lived on the island.
Niihau’s limited information has made the island a place full of mystery and legend. Legends circulate that the island’s inhabitants were prohibited from consuming alcohol, carrying weapons was forbidden, men were prohibited from growing long beards and wearing earrings, and all islanders were required to attend church on Sundays. Niihau is considered a valuable habitat for endangered animal and plant species, and these special species and plants can be discovered during visits.
