Niihau

Ni‘ihau, at 70 sq. miles (184 sq. km), is the smallest of the inhabited islands of Hawai‘i. It is the oldest of the eight main islands. The island is relatively arid, since it sits in the shadow of Kauai, and lacks the rich tropical plant cover typical of the other islands.

The entire island is owned by the Robinson family who purchased it from the Kingdom of Hawai‘i for $10,000. It was said that the purchaser, Elizabeth Sinclair (later Sinclair-Robinson), bought the island in preference to other real estate parcels such as Waikīkī, Pearl Harbor and the island of Lāna‘i. There is a small U.S. Navy installation but no military personnel are permanently stationed on the island.

The island has approximately 160 permanent inhabitants, nearly all of whom are Native Hawaiians. They support themselves largely by subsistence agriculture. Many of them were employees of the Niihau Ranch until the Robinson family finally had to shut it down in 1999 (it had never been profitable for most of the 20th century). Many of the residents ended up on federal welfare benefits, although that will have to end soon because of the five-year limit on such benefits.

The Native Hawaiians lead a rural, low-tech life. They speak the Hawaiian language and keep traditions alive. This is enabled by terms in the purchase contract obligating the owner to help preserve Hawaiian culture and tradition. Ni‘ihau is the only one of the Hawaiian islands on which the Hawaiian language is the main form of communications.

However, the Native Hawaiians are hardly cut off from the outside world; Niihau is subject to regular droughts that occasionally force the population to temporarily evacuate to Kauai until the water supply is replenished by the next big rainstorm. In recent years, another problem has been tourists and fishermen overfishing the surrounding waters. This is troubling because the island residents already compete with the local endangered population of Hawaiian monk seals for seafood (and the seals themselves are protected by the Endangered Species Act).

Ni‘ihau is also known as the "Forbidden Island". This is due to the fact that until recently, the island was off-limits to all but family members, U.S. Navy personnel, government officials and expressly invited guests. Now, tourists can see the island through a limited number of supervised tours, including diving, hiking, and hunting safaris.

On the beaches of the island are found shells which are the only shells to be classified as gems. Ni‘ihau shells and the jewelry made from them are very popular. Many, especially those with darker and richer color, are collectors' items. The sale of shells and shell jewelry provide an additional source of income for the local populace. The Robinson family claims that the unusual luster of Ni‘ihau shells is due to the island's extremely low pollution levels (in relation to the other islands).

Islands of Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i | Kaho‘olawe | Kaua‘i | Lāna‘i | Maui | Moloka‘i | Ni‘ihau | Northwestern Hawaiian Islands | O‘ahu
Counties
Hawai‘i | Honolulu | Kalawao | Kaua‘i | Maui