Ni ʻ ihau or Niihau (pronounced /ˈniːhaʊ/ in English and in Hawaiian) is the smallest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. state of Hawai ʻ i, having an area of 69.5 square miles (180 km 2 ). Known as the "Forbidden Isle," Ni ʻ ihau lies 17.5 miles (15.2 nmi; 28.2 km) across the Kaulakahi Channel, southwest of Kaua ʻ i. The United States Census Bureau defines Ni ʻ ihau (with the neighboring small island of Lehua) as Census Tract 410 of Kauai County, Hawaii. Its 2000 census population was 160; as of June 2009, the population was 130.
In 1864, the island was purchased from the Kingdom of Hawaii by the Robinson family and has been privately owned since that time. It is currently run by Bruce and Keith Robinson. Ni ʻ ihau is generally off-limits to all but relatives of the island's owners, U.S. Navy personnel, government officials and invited guests. Tourists are able to visit the island through a limited number of supervised tours, including beach, diving, hiking, and hunting safaris. Ni ʻ ihau is also referred to as the "Mystery Island," or the "Distant Isle."
The island is historically notable as the location for the Ni ʻ ihau Incident, in which a Japanese fighter pilot crashed on the island and terrorized its residents for about a week following the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor. Commercially, the people of Ni ʻ ihau are known internationally for their gemlike lei pūpū (shell lei) craftsmanship.
Geography and climate
See also: List of beaches in NiihauNi ʻ ihau is located about 18 miles (29 km) west of Kaua ʻ i, and the tiny, uninhabited island of Lehua is positioned 0.7 miles (0.61 nmi; 1.1 km) north of Ni ʻ ihau. Ni ʻ ihau's dimensions are 6.2 miles by 18.6 miles (30 km x 10 km). The maximum elevation (Paniau) is 1,280 feet (390 m). The island is about 4.9 million years old, making it geologically younger than the 5 million year old neighboring island of Kaua ʻ i in the northeast. Ni ʻ ihau was formed by a secondary vent that formed after the Kaua ʻ i volcano began erupting. Ni ʻ ihau consists of one extinct volcano that had a large landslide to the east.
The island is relatively arid as it lies in the rain shadow of Kaua ʻ i, and lacks the elevation needed to catch significant amounts of trade wind rainfall. Ni ʻ ihau therefore, is rather dependent on winter Kona storms, when more northerly weather systems intrude into the region. As such, the island is subject to long periods of drought. Historical droughts on Ni ʻ ihau have been recorded several times, one in 1792 by Captain James Cook's former junior officer, George Vancouver, who had been told that the people of Ni ʻ ihau had abandoned the island because of a severe drought and had moved to Kaua ʻ i to escape famine.
Flora and fauna
As an essentially arid island, Ni ʻ ihau was barren of trees for centuries — Captain James Cook reported it treeless in 1778. Aubrey Robinson, grandfather of current owners Bruce and Keith Robinson, planted 10,000 trees per year during much of his ownership of the island. This forestation of the island increased rainfall, and has been very beneficial to its climate. Many of Ni ʻ ihau's natural plant resources have been preserved and documented by island co-owner Keith Robinson (Niihau owner), a noted conservationist. Ni ʻ ihau is designated as critical habitat for the ʻ ōlulu , an endemic and endangered species of Hawaiian lobelioid. Aylmer robinsonii , a Pritchardia palm tree named for Keith Robinson's uncle Aylmer, is an endangered species native to Ni ʻ ihau.
Several bird species thrive on Ni ʻ ihau. Intermittent playa lakes on the island provide wetland habitats for the ʻ alae ke ʻ oke ʻ o (Hawaiian Coot), the āe ʻ o (Black-winged Stilt), and the koloa maoli (Hawaiian Duck). The critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal ( Monachus schauinslandi ) is found in high numbers on Ni ʻ ihau's shores. Keith Robinson believes that the private, secluded shoreline of Ni ʻ ihau offers a safe haven from encroachments on the seal habitat; According to Robinson, conditions for the monk seal on Ni ʻ ihau are better than the government refuges of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. When Ni ʻ ihau was originally purchased as a private family holding in the 1800s, there were no monk seals present, as the Native Hawaiians had killed them off to preserve their fishing stock.
Big game herds, imported from stock on Moloka ʻ i Ranch in recent years, roam Ni ʻ ihau's forests and flatlands. Eland and aoudad herds are abundant, and an oryx population is present as well, in addition to wild boars and feral sheep. These big game herds provide income from hunting safari tourism.
History
Prior to the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii under Kamehameha I, Ni ʻ ihau was ruled by the ali ʻ i . Kahelelani was the first of the Ni ʻ ihau ali ʻ i. His name is now used to refer to the Ni ʻ ihau kahelelani , the puka shell of the wart turbans ( Leptothyra verruca ), used to make exquisite Ni ʻ ihau shell jewelry.
Kaeo was a ruler of northern Ni ʻ ihau who unified the entire island after defeating his rival, a chief named Kawaihoa. A stone wall ( Papohaku ) was built across a quarter of the southern end to mark the boundaries of the two chiefs: Kaeo's land was identified by black stones and Kawaihoa's by white stones. Eventually, a great battle took place, known as Pali Kamakaui. Kaeo's two brothers from the island of Maui, Kaiana and his half-brother Kahekili, the King of Maui, fought the battle for Kaeo and Ni ʻ ihau was united under his rule. Kawaihoa was banished to the south end of the island and Kaeo moved to the middle of the island to govern. Kaeo married the noble Kamakahelei and a future king of Ni ʻ ihau and Kaua ʻ i named Kaumuali ʻ i was born in 1790. Kaua ʻ i and Ni ʻ ihau are said to have carried the "highest blood lines" in the Hawaiian Islands.
Kamehameha managed to unify all of the islands by 1795, except for Kaua ʻ i and Ni ʻ ihau: Two attempts to conquer those islands had failed, and Kamehameha lost many men: the dead bodies covered the beaches on the eastern shores of Kaua ʻ i. Finally, in 1810, Kamehameha amassed a great fleet, and Kaumuali ʻ i, the last native ali ʻ i , surrendered rather than risk further bloodshed. Independence again became feasible after Kamehameha's death in 1819, but was put down when Kamehameha's widow Ka ʻ ahumanu kidnapped Kaumuali ʻ i and forced him to marry her. Thereafter Ni ʻ ihau remained part of the unified Kingdom of Hawai ʻ i.
Elizabeth Sinclair (later Sinclair-Robinson) purchased Ni ʻ ihau and parts of Kaua ʻ i from Kamehameha V in 1864 for the asking price of $10,000 in gold. Sinclair chose Ni ʻ ihau over other real estate options, including Waikīkī and Pearl Harbor. By around 1875, Ni ʻ ihau's population consisted of about 350 Native Hawaiians, with 20,000 sheep grazing the island. This era marked the end of the art of Hawaiian mat weaving made famous by the people of Ni ʻ ihau. Makaloa ( Cyperus laevigatus ), a native sedge, used to grow on the edges of Ni ʻ ihau's three intermittent lakes. The stems were harvested and used to weave moena makaloa (mats), considered the "finest sleeping mats in Polynesia". The mats were valued by ali ʻ i and foreign visitors alike, but by the end of the 19th century, Hawaiians had stopped weaving makaloa due to changes in population, culture, economics, and the environment.
In 1915, Sinclair's grandson Aubrey Robinson closed the island to most outside visitors. Even relatives of the inhabitants could visit only by special permission. Upon Aubrey's death the island passed to his son Albert, and then to Albert's youngest brother Lester and his wife Helen. Upon Helen's death the island passed to Lester's sons Bruce and Keith Robinson, the current co-owners of the island.
Ni ʻ ihau played a small role during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In what has come to be called the Niihau Incident, or the Battle of Ni ʻ ihau, an off-course Japanese pilot crash landed on the island and was captured by locals. With the assistance of local Japanese residents, the pilot escaped, but was later recaptured and killed.
Despite the self-imposed isolation, Ni ʻ ihau has a long-standing relationship with the U.S. military dating from 1924. There is
Browsing Hawaiian Jewelry
Fresh Water Pearls
Hawaiian Jewelry & Gifts Collection: Fresh Water Pearl Jewelry
We retail and wholesale 14kt and Silver Hawaiian jewelry and jade jewelry with lowest price and top products quality. Products includes hawaiian wedding rings Hawaiian bracelets ...
Pearl Jewelry, Hawaiian Jewelry, Designer Opal Jewelry
Maui Divers of Hawaii has a wide selection of Jewelry at great prices. Collections include Yin Yang, Luxury, Wyland and Opal Jewelry.
Discount / Clearance Hawaiian Jewelry - Hawaii, Pearl, Coral, Gold
Maui Divers Jewelry up to 50% off. Discount prices on hawaiian pearls, pendnts,rings,earrings and more. On clearance while supplies last.
Hawaiian Rings: Hawaiian Heirloom Jewelry Rings Factory Direct from ...
Hawaiian Jewelry Rings with diamonds, black pearls and custom engraving with free shipping available
Hawaiian Jewelry & Gifts Collection: 14K Gold Mother of Pearl Jewelry
We retail and wholesale 14kt and Silver Hawaiian jewelry and jade jewelry with lowest price and top products quality. Products includes hawaiian wedding rings Hawaiian bracelets ...
Hawaiian Jewelry Store - Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii - Heirloom Hawaiian ...
Hawaiian jewelry gifts, sterling silver Hawaiian jewelry, 14k gold Hawaiian jewelry, bracelets, bangles, earrings, anklets, diamonds, pearls, and jade.
Hawaiian Jewelry And Gift Facts - Freshwater Pearl
Hawaiian jewelry, Hawaiiana, Hawaiian gifts, Hawaiian decor, Hawaiian accessories and Hawaiian party supplies and Hawaiian theme superstore on the Garden Island of Kauai! Shop with ...
Hawaiian Jewelry, Plumeria, Slipper, Hula, Chinese, Black Pearl ...
We specialize in Hawaiian jewelry, plumeria jewelry, hawaiian slipper jewelry , Chinese, Tahitian black pearl and Kim Taylor Reece hula jewelry directly from manufacturers in ...
Hawaiian Jewelry And Gift Facts - Mabe Pearl
Hawaiian jewelry, Hawaiiana, Hawaiian gifts, Hawaiian decor, Hawaiian accessories and Hawaiian party supplies and Hawaiian theme superstore on the Garden Island of Kauai! Shop with ...