When outsiders talk of Hawaii, they are usually referring to O’ahu, Kaui, Maui or the big island of Hawaii. Usually people have not heard of Kahoolawe. For natives, Kahoolawe is sacred. The roots of many Hawaiian traditions lie here. One volcanic dome makes what is known as Kahoolawe. The island is gently sloped. It is dry with little rainfall. From Maui, the island looks pink.

Archaeological evidence suggests that Kahoolawe was settled in by 400 A.D. Fishing villages were established on the islands coastline. The island carries about 3000 bits of historical evidence in the form of historical features and sites. From these we gather that Kahoolawe served as a center for navigation in the area. There seem to be many religious and cultural ceremonies that have taken place here through the history of human habitation of this island. In addition this place has been an agricultural center. The early period up to 1750 saw settlements by South Pacific people. The island is associated with the god of the ocean.

Kahoolawe means “Sacred Island.” It also means “to be carried away.” It is a place steeped in legend. It has been associated with many religious deities like Kanaloa. In the 1820’s Protestant missionaries reached the shores of Hawaii. They spread their faith among the elite ruling class. Western educational systems became popular with the spread of Protestant schools. The local population began to become conversant with reading and writing in English and Hawaiian. In 1828 a school was started that taught 28 scholars. It lasted till1837. After the famous Edict of 1829 by Kaahumanu the favorite wife of Kamehaha I, Catholics were banished to Kahoolawe as punishment. In the 1830’s king Kamehaha banished men to this place for various crimes. Prostitution, murder, breaking marriage vows, divorce, promoting Catholicism resulted in banishment here. Men were sent to this island and women to Lanai. The penal colony was headquartered at Kaulana Bay. In 1853 Kahoolawe lost its status as a penal colony.

The second king Kamehaha divided Hawaii among the elite and royalty. In 1848 the laws pertaining to land changed to the western system of ownership from the prevalent system of stewardship. The king and nobles owned most of the land. There was also a part that was reserved for government – this was Kahoolawe. There was also a way for individuals to be land owners.

The Organic Act of 1900 led to transfer of the island from Hawaii to the United States. This entitled the territorial government to the use of Kahoolawe till the federal government felt otherwise.

By the twentieth century, Kahoolawe was annexed to the United States. In 1910 the island was proclaimed to be a forest reserve by the Territorial Board of Agriculture. Goats first came to the island after they were gifted to the chief of Maui by Captain Vancouver. After being leased to several ranches there was a huge sheep and goat population. Erosion and devegetation resulted. For 70 years the government tried to revitalize the island with a new green cover. Due to the great amount of grazing on Kahoolawe after the introduction of cattle and sheep on the island there was loss of vegetation and soil erosion as well. In the late 1890’s there were about 900 cattle and 15000 sheep on Kahoolawe.

Then the efforts at reforesting Kahoolawe began. The forestry efforts were useless due to the goats. Therefore it was withdrawn from its forest reserve designation and transferred to the Commissioner of Public Lands. In 1918 Kahoolawe was leased to people who formed Kahoolawe ranch. The lease continued till 1952.

After the Pearl Harbor attack Hawaii was bought under martial law. Since then Kahoolawe was used for military practice. It is also called the target island. Ship to shore bombardment was started. The USS Pennysylvanin conducted rehearsals here for the invasion of Gilbert Islands. Torpedoes were tested here from 1942 to the 1960’s.

In 1953 President Eisenhower reserved Kahoolawe for military purposes. Only 23.3 acres in the south was used for lighthouse purposes. The navy was directed to reduce cloven hoofed animals to no more than 200.

The Korean War era saw air dropped general purpose bombs being tested here. They were dropped on targets and mock airfields. In 1959 Hawaii was recognized as the 50th state of the U.S.A. by the Statehood Admission Act.

In 1960 operation Sailor Hat was conducted in the area. A “Sailor Hat” crater was formed due to the military explosions. Interestingly an aquatic ecosystem has formed here. Two species of shrimp are habitated here. These are the Halocaridina rubra and Metabataeus lohena.

In 1967 Kahoolawe was used for training and testing for the Vietnam War. The late 1960’s saw more island areas being turned into targets. Bombs were accidentally dropped on Maui. Practice areas were relocated.

The military history of Kahoolawe is interesting. As training ground for air and sea attacks as well as marine landings, it was of great importance to the government. It was used for live and inert bombing by the U.S.A. and allies. Prior to 1970 the whole island was used and later only the central one third. There are no records of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons being used in Kahoolawe.

For 50 years Kahoolawe was used for munitions testing. In the 70’s efforts began to be made to save Kahoolawe. The Protect Kahoolawe Ohana through a suit asked for an environmental impact report from the United States Navy and to protect historical sites. Even after being listed on the national register of historic places, a cease fire was not in effect.

In 1990 President George Bush directed the military to stop using Kahoolawe as a weapons range. Kahoolawe was returned to the Hawaiians. Due to contamination the island was deemed uninhabitable and unsafe. A 10 year cleanup program was begun in 1998. Innovative methods were used including the $280 mn UXO clearance of Kahoolawe. Since the use of Kahoolawe for military purposes, a significant effort was needed to restore the cultural significance, historic properties and natural resources. The clearance will involve a great deal of effort. It is the largest UXO clearance operation in the United States. Bombs of various sizes have been found here. All kinds of bombs from Napalm to general purpose have been found.

The Kahoolawe island reserve commission was created by Chapter 6K of the Hawaii Reserved Statutes. This commission was to oversee management and policy of Kahoolawe. Based on this statute the island and waters of two nautical miles from it were to be used only for certain purposes.

These were – education, restoration, revegetation, preservation and habitat restoration. The environmental, historical and archaeological resources were to be protected under this statute. The traditional rights of Hawaiians for substinence, cultural and spiritual purposes were to be protected.

An MOU was entered in by the Navy and Hawaii for the transfer of Kahoolawe in 1994. This Memorandum of Understanding allows for the Navy to access the island for completing the environmental restoration activities. The Navy is to clean the island according to their consultations with the KIRC. The cleanup should be concomitant with the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency Plan.

The access control was transferred to Hawaii on November 11, 2003. There was a commemoration ceremony on the grounds of the Iolani Palace the next day.

The healing of Kahoolawe is to consist of both the physical and spiritual regeneration of the land. To integrate the culture is one of the aims. The planting season starts in traditional Hawaiian fashion each year with protocols and chants. There were a number of rain Ko’a shrines made here in 1997. The shrines were built to call the cloud bridge around Kahoolawe back. This is so that the Naalu rains would return.

The environmental restoration goals include removal of invasive species of plants. In addition distributing native plant species is on the anvil. The removal of these foreign plants is being done through herbicide and hand as well as power tools. The aim is to regenerate a native Hawaiian dryland forest.

Efforts at reducing sediment flow are also underway. To do this vegetation is being grown in stream areas. The sediment deposit of 1.9 million soil tons each year if substantially reduced will stop the soil erosion enough to support vegetation growth.

Now reverse osmosis units and rain catchment systems are helping to bring the level of ground water in Kahoolawe higher. With the help of the State Department of Health’s $1.5 million grant, about 1800 volunteers will help in the restoration of Kahoolawe. Because of the spiritual, cultural and historical significance of Kahoolawe there is a deep need to preserve its heritage.