father damien – HomeyHawaii

Collage: Father Damien in 1873, Kalaupapa Peninsula view, a statue of Father Damien in Belgium

About Father Damien and Leprosy in Hawaii

July 29, 2018 Sylvia Dion Comments 7 comments

Leprosy in Hawaii may have started with the arrival of immigrant workers in mid-1800’s. The native population didn’t have any immunity and easily contracted the disease, which was incurable at the time. In 1866 a colony was established on Molokai, on it’s northern side, on Kalaupapa peninsula, completely isolated by towering cliffs. A Belgian missionary priest Father Damien devoted last 16 years of his life to the lepers of Molokai, working every day to improve the despicable living conditions in…

Molokai Day 3 – Kalaupapa Peninsula and Pala’au State Park

June 8, 2018 Christa Goodwin Comments 1 comment

For the third and final day of our Family of Five’s Journey to Molokai, we planned an unhurried trip to what is in many ways the heart and soul of the Friendly Isle. A visit to Molokai is not complete without visiting the Kalaupapa Peninsula or at least spending time at the lookout to contemplate its history. Our family left the vacation condo at Molokai Shores and drove north on Kalae Highway for about 20 minutes before arriving at Pala’au State…