NEWS
January is Kalaupapa Month
‘Iolani School archivist Georgina Tom created this display for a recent Kalaupapa Month.
“. . . Kalaupapa Month will be a time to think about all our people who were sent here, all that we went through and who we are.” — John Arruda
January is Kalaupapa Month, a time to shine a light on the lives of the nearly 8,000 men, women and children who were taken from their families and sent to Kalaupapa because of government policies regarding leprosy, now also called Hansen’s disease. Most never saw their loved ones again. Ninety percent were Native Hawaiians.
Leaders of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa wanted to find a permanent way for the public to focus on the people and history of Kalaupapa which was how the idea for Kalaupapa Month began. The proposal was adopted by the State Legislature in 2021 and signed into law by Gov. David Ige.
Kalaupapa resident John Arruda, who stood next to the Governor at the bill signing, reflected reflected on what this annual event means to him.
“To me, Kalaupapa Month will be a time to think about all our people who were sent here, all that we went through and who we are,” said Arruda, who was forced to leave his family on Kaua`i before being sent to Kalaupapa in 1945.
It is hoped that Kalaupapa Month will inspire families to talk about their Kalaupapa ancestors with younger generations, motivate teachers to include chapters of Kalaupapa history in their classrooms and encourage church leaders to pay tribute to the congregations of Kalaupapa where so many residents found hope and fellowship.
Ka ‘Ohana selected January as Kalaupapa Month because of the many significant dates in history that took place at the start of the new year.
“We started thinking of January as Kalaupapa Month because of January 6, the day in 1866 when the first 12 people affected by leprosy arrived at Kalaupapa,” said Valerie Monson, Executive Director of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa. “We quickly realized that January was the perfect month because there so many other dates that were inclusive in this history that took place in January.”
Other notable events include the birthdates of both Josef DeVeuster (later Father Damien, now Saint Damien), Barbara Koob (later Mother Marianne Cope, now Saint Marianne and the day in 1978 that began a 5 1/2-year protest led by the people of Kalaupapa and Hale Mohalu when they stood up for their rights to be included in decisions that affected them.
Governor David Ige hosts Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, State leaders and Department of Health officials at the bill-signing ceremony that designates January as Kalaupapa Month annually across Hawai‘i. Kalaupapa resident John Arruda stands to the right of the Governor along with Senators Roz Baker (left of Ige) and Lynn DeCoite (next to Arruda). Photo: Greg Lau (copyright)
During Kalaupapa Month, Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa makes a point of presenting two special webinars for the public – and distributes essays detailing the background of particular dates being remembered. Anyone can sign up to register for the webinars or receive these essays by sending an email to info.kalaupapa@gmail.com
Ka ‘Ohana has also created a file of resource materials for Kalaupapa Month that will be available year-round, giving teachers and others time to prepare for the next January. This file includes an e-newsletter about Kalaupapa Month, a webinar on how Kalaupapa Month came to be and eight essays about significant dates. Those materials can be found in this file.
For 2026, Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa has two exhibits on display: one in Honolulu and the other on Molokai:
*Kapi‘olani Community College is hosting “A Source of Light Constant and Never Fading,” an historical exhibit about the strong relationship between the people of Kalaupapa and the ali‘i. The public can visit the exhibit in the library of the college, Monday-Thursday, 8:30-4:30 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 p.m.-4 p.m. Call: 808-734-99359 for more information.
*The Molokai Museum & Cultural Center, 1795 Kalae Highway, Kualapu‘u, Molokai, is hosting “A Reflection of Kalaupapa: Past, Present and Future.” This exhibit features 100 framed photos of Kalaupapa residents and their family members along with landscapes of the peninsula, mostly taken by acclaimed photographer Wayne Levin over the years. Museum hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission: $5; $1 for ages 5-18. Text: 808:349-2236.
Photo: © Richard Schmidt
The first week of Kalaupapa Month: January 1-6, 2026
The first week of Kalaupapa Month finds four significant dates in the history of Kalaupapa, including the date in January that we believe to be the most significant of all, a day those of us with Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa call Remembrance Day.
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January 2: the birth of Queen Emma in 1836;
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January 3: the birth of Jozef de Veuster, who would become Father Damien, in 1840;
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January 5: when Ambrose Hutchison arrived at Kalaupapa in 1879 after being diagnosed with leprosy -- he would evolve into a great leader of the settlement;
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January 6: REMEMBRANCE DAY: when the first 12 people with leprosy landed at Kalaupapa in 1866, the first of nearly 8,000 men, women and children who would be taken from their families and sent there because they were said to have leprosy.
The Birth of Queen Emma
January 2, 1836
Queen Emma was among members of the Royal Family who never developed leprosy, but whose life was impacted by the disease in different ways. Her most well-known connection to Kalaupapa was through her close relationship with her cousin, Peter Kaeo, who contracted the disease and was sent to Kalaupapa in 1873 where he lived until he was released three years later.
Peter Kaeo arrived in the settlement shortly after Father Damien came to Kalaupapa to serve as priest. During his time there, Peter and Queen Emma carried on a lengthy correspondence -- many of those letters were preserved and footnoted in the book, “News from Molokai” by Alfons Korn. These important letters provide us with Peter’s insights into life at Kalaupapa during these earlier years and describe the adversities so many were facing. We also learn about Queen Emma’s perspectives on politics and other key events taking place in Honolulu at that time.
The Queen had been hanaied at birth and, from sources we have read, never knew her birth father, High Chief George Nae`a. The High Chief was diagnosed with leprosy in 1838, two years after Emma was born -- and nearly 20 years before Kalaupapa was established as a leprosy settlement. He was one of the earliest people in Hawai`i who was known to have contracted the disease. He died in 1854.
Books of interest: “News from Molokai” by Alfons Korn; “Emma: Hawai‘i‘s Remarkable Queen,” by George S. Kanahele. Note: “News from Molokai” is out-of-print, but often available at libraries or for sale on used book sites.
The Birth of Father Damien/Saint Damien
January 3, 1840
Jozef de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium. He would grow up to become Father Damien de Veuster, the priest and human rights activist who would devote his best years (1873-1889) to doing all he could to improve conditions there. When he arrived at Kalaupapa, the people were still facing enormous hardships: separation from family, the effects of a disease not yet curable, frequent deaths and shortages of food, housing and other supplies.
A photograph of young Damien shows a man with fiery eyes which seem to mirror the energy and passion he brought to anything he did. A man of inherent faith, Damien’s first duty was to God and to the spiritual guidance of his growing Kalaupapa flock, but he quickly became engrossed in many other facets of daily life in the settlement.
Father Damien worked hand-in-hand with the people of Kalaupapa and took on a number of responsibilities in addition to serving as priest, to help wherever he could. He built churches and houses, improved the infrastructure, watched over the boys and girls sent to Kalaupapa without parents, assisted with health care and tirelessly advocated for the needs of the people he cared about so deeply.
He also saw the devastating emotional impacts on people caused by the harsh government policies of separating families and believed that preventing healthy spouses from joining their loved ones at Kalaupapa caused “an oppression of mind.” Damien formed choirs and organized parades to lift the spirits of people; he became
friends with many in the community and worked with members of the ali`i to improve conditions at the settlement.
Damien was a profoundly thoughtful and prayerful man. Damien made life better at Kalaupapa -- and his own life was made better by the people of Kalaupapa who were his friends, parishioners and colleagues.
Father Damien was canonized in 2009. Many residents of Kalaupapa flew to Rome for the ceremonies as the humble priest became Saint Damien.
Books of interest: “The Heart of Father Damien” by Vital Jourdain, SS.CC.; “Father Damien: A Bit of Taro, a Piece of Fish and a Glass of Water,” by Anwei Skinsnes Law and Henry G. Law; “Father Damien’s Letters,” compiled by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts SS.CC., Rome, and “Holy Man” by Gavan Daws
The Arrival of Ambrose Kanewalii Hutchison
January 5, 1879
Until recently, the name Ambrose Hutchison was barely a footnote in the history of
Kalaupapa -- along with the names of many other people who were sent to Kalaupapa because they were diagnosed with leprosy. For many years, the people of Kalaupapa were mostly left out of their own history.
Hutchison, whose mother was Hawaiian and whose father was born in England, lived an astonishing 53 years at Kalaupapa, including 10 as the settlement’s Resident Superintendent. He worked side-by-side Father Damien until Damien’s death and helped members of the Royal Family during their visits to Kalaupapa. He was a man of exceptional character with strong management skills and a deep faith in God.
The life of Hutchison is now more well-known because the handwritten memoirs he left for us that described life at Kalaupapa in earlier days have been published by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa and are now getting the attention they deserve.
Kalaupapa historian and author Anwei Law worked with the family of Ambrose to edit these fascinating memoirs; Anwei also did additional research about Ambrose and his ancestors that were included in the book along with a trove of photographs and images, both historical and recent. The result is the limited-edition book, “Yours Faithfully -- Ambrose Hutchison: Recollections of a Lifetime at Kalaupapa.” The book costs $50, plus shipping, and can be ordered by contacting Ka ‘Ohana at info.kalaupapa@gmail.com.
Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa is proud to have the family of Ambrose Hutchison among our longest and most active supporters. Special mahalos to the late Mercy Hutchison Bacon, the grand-niece of Ambrose, and her daughter, Monica Bacon. We are sorry to say that Mercy died in 2024: we are grateful for the wisdom she shared with such passion to keep the story of her “Uncle Ambrose” alive. You are with us always, Mercy.
Let’s make sure that Ambrose Hutchison is given his proper place among the hierarchy of leaders throughout the history of Kalaupapa. He truly was one of the many people who overcame the challenges of leprosy while, at the same time, rebuilt his own life and helped make the community stronger in many ways.
Books of interest: “Yours Faithfully -- Ambrose Hutchison: Recollections of a Lifetime at Kalaupapa,” the memoirs of Ambrose Hutchison edited by Anwei Law; published by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa.
The Arrival of the First 12 People Sent to Kalaupapa...
Kalaupapa Remembrance Day
January 6, 1866
The first 12 people -- nine men and three women -- were sent to Kalaupapa from Kalihi Hospital on Oahu, arriving on January 6, 1866, landing on the Kalaupapa side of the peninsula and then walking to Kalawao as directed by the Board of Health.
These 12 -- nine men and three women -- were the first of nearly 8,000 men, women and children who would be taken from their families and sent to Kalaupapa because they had been diagnosed with leprosy (now also called Hansen’s disease).
The names of those first 12 people are: J.D. Kahauliko, J.N. Loe, Liilii, Puha, Kini, Lono, Waipio, Kainaina, Kaaumoana, Nahuina, Lakapu and Kepihe. (Please note that Nahuina’s name was misspelled in the Kalaupapa Admissions Register; Nahuina is the correct spellings).
Everyone was landed on shore -- they were not thrown overboard. This is one of the many myths about Kalaupapa. Although landing at Kalaupapa was very often difficult, as far as we know, no one was thrown overboard by the ship’s workers during the history of sending people to Kalaupapa.
Most ships arrived on the Kalaupapa side of the peninsula -- and people were lowered into smaller boats and rowed ashore. When the weather was bad at Kalaupapa, the boats sometimes diverted to Kalawao.
None of these first 12 individuals ever returned home -- a fate shared by most of those sent to Kalaupapa.
The names of these first 12 -- along with the names of the thousands of others who followed them -- should never be forgotten. Their names will be forever preserved on The Kalaupapa Memorial that is being planned and built by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa.
We must always remember their names, the lives they lived and the legacies they left for us all.
Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa is now calling January 6 “Kalaupapa Remembrance Day” to honor these first 12 people -- and all those who followed.
On this day, please remember these 12 individuals in your own way. Some ideas:
*Read aloud their names and think about what they were going through as they arrived at Kalaupapa.
*If you can, walk 3 miles in their memory, the distance these 12 people would have walked from Kalaupapa to Kalawao.
*Say a prayer, letting these individuals know they are not forgotten.
*Remember your own ancestors who were sent to Kalaupapa or those Kalaupapa residents who inspire you.
Books of interest: “Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory,” by Anwei Skinsnes Law; “Kalaupapa Place Names: Waikolu to Nihoa,” by John R.K. Clark; “Ma‘i Lepera,” by Kerri Inglis; “Adjourned With a Prayer,” by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa.
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Mahalo for your time and your interest in the people and history of Kalaupapa.
-- Valerie Monson
Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa
Kalaupapa Month
Preservation Award
Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa was presented with a preservation award by Historic Hawai‘i Foundation last month for their efforts in designating January as Kalaupapa Month annually in Hawai‘i.
“Kalaupapa Month will be a way to bring the people of Kalaupapa back into their own history and to make sure their legacy lives on,” wrote Kiersten Faulkner, Executive Director of HHF in informing Ka ‘Ohana of the honor. “We congratulate Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa on their exemplary preservation efforts.”
It was the seventh preservation award bestowed upon by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa by HHF in the past 10 years. Ka ‘Ohana was among the organizations and individuals across Hawai‘i that were singled out at the annual awards banquet hosted by HHF in Honolulu last month.
Details about the theme of Kalaupapa Month 2023 and events associated with that will be coming up in the next few weeks.
Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa honored for Kalaupapa Month at the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation awards banquet, Oct. 20, 2022. From right: Kehaulani Lum, Roy Catalani, Lorna Catalani, Hitoshi Hida, DeGray Vanderbilt, Charmaine Woodward, Solomon Woodward, Monica Bacon.
Photo: Historic Hawai‘i Foundation.