Jewelry charm of the magical island of Niihau. Niihau Island - “Forbidden Island” of the Hawaiian Archipelago (USA) Niihau Island Robinson family

The Hawaiian archipelago consists of several islands. One of the most mysterious and interesting is the island of Niihau. This island is the seventh largest among all the islands of this archipelago, its area is almost one hundred and eighty square kilometers. Moreover, the island is one of the most sparsely populated. According to official data, only about two hundred and fifty people live on Niihau. This number of inhabitants is due to the fact that only native Hawaiians can live on the island.

The history of Niihau Island is interesting; in 1863, Queen Kamehameha IV decided to sell the island and it was purchased by Elizabeth Sinclair, who lived on a neighboring island, for only ten thousand dollars. Subsequently, the heirs, the Robinson family, began to own the island. It is the owners of the island who try to preserve the traditions and cultures of the Hawaiian people. Moreover, it is here that the Hawaiian language is not only the first language, but also the only one today.

The main mystery of Niihau Island is that the island is closed, that is, only native Hawaiians or people invited by island residents or members of the Robinson family can visit it. Niihau Island in Hawaii is called the “forbidden island”, which is the name by which it became known throughout the world. If you do not have an invitation from its inhabitants, you can see this island only at a distance, that is, during a helicopter ride or while snorkeling. You can also take a boat ride near the island, but you cannot approach it within a certain distance. If you are a scuba diving enthusiast, you can enjoy the beauty underwater world around the island with no way to go ashore.

The vegetation of Niihau Island is not as diverse as on other islands of Hawaii, since the island is quite dry. Shell Leia can be found on the island's beach. This shell has a high value among shell flower collectors. One sink can be valued at up to several thousand dollars. The island's inhabitants mostly work on the ranch of the island's owner, Robinson. Livestock is raised here and fruits and vegetables are grown. Island residents also engage in fishing and hunting. For hunting they use ropes and nets that they weave with their own hands, spears and knives. At the same time, there are absolutely no shops, cars or hotels on the island. Residents of Niihau Island travel exclusively by bicycle or on foot.

Niihau Island is one of the inhabited islands Hawaiian archipelago, it is located 29 km northwest of the island of Kauai.

The history of this island is interesting. In 1864, the island was put up for sale by Hawaiian monarch Kamehameha IV for $10,000. It was purchased by Scottish woman Elizabeth Sinclair, who lived next door on the island of Kauai. Niihau is now privately owned by the Robinson family, heirs of the above-mentioned lady.

Niihau is also known as the "Forbidden Island" as entry to the island is by invitation only.

The island is a stronghold of Hawaiian culture; the benefits of civilization are not used here - there are no cars, no shops, no restaurants, no hotels, no paved roads.

There are approximately 200 Native Hawaiians living on the island, and Hawaiian is the main language of communication.

Most of the islanders work on the Robinson family ranch. The main activities of the island's inhabitants are fishing, hunting, growing vegetables and fruits.

The island is currently open to visitors. Safari tours and exclusive helicopter excursions are organized here.

The helicopter tour lasts half a day. During your helicopter flight to the island, the pilot will tell you about the history of the island, and then land on one of the secluded beaches, where you can sunbathe in the company of a monk seal and swim in warm waters ocean among tropical reef fish.

The safari tour is designed for hunting lovers. Hunters are given a unique opportunity to hunt Polynesian boar and hybrid sheep, and take the trophy with them.

On the island, anyone can purchase unique necklaces made from rare shells, which can only be found on the beaches of Niihau.

Helicopter excursion

duration - half a day

price - $385 per person

minimum number of people - 5.

Food and drinks are included in the tour.

Safari tour

duration - 1 day

one hunter - $1750 (maximum quantity - 4)

one observer - $500 (maximum number - 3)

rifle rental - $120.

The tour includes: lunch, snacks, soft drinks and juices, guide, transportation around the island, packing of skins and transportation of trophies.

On clear days with west coast Kauai overlooks small island. It is only 17 miles away, but for most residents of the state it is the only way to see Niihau Island. It is known as the Forbidden Island of Hawaii, and this nickname suits it perfectly.

Despite being very close to the resort of Kauai, Niihau remains surprisingly isolated from the outside world. There are no roads, cars, shops or internet on the island. His sandy beaches saw a lot more wildlife than human traces. Sleepy Hawaiian monk seals dot the coastline, and sharks swim near empty shores. But the island is inhabited by people.

History of the island

When Niihau was purchased by the Sinclair family in the 1860s, the island's inhabitants, known as Niihauan, were allowed to remain, but access to the island by outsiders was limited. Until now, only Niihauans, Robinsons (descendants of the titled family) and invited guests are allowed to be there.

In 1864, King Kamehameha V sold Niihau Island to Sinclair's ancestors for $10,000 worth of gold and reportedly required the family to promise to preserve Niihau's indigenous and unique way of life.

These promises provided the Niihaun with luxuries that most modern travelers are looking for in the world: a truly secluded and untouched island.

Modernity

The Niihauans are fiercely protective of their island. In 2013, a group of residents discovered trespassers fishing on their coastline. They recorded the intruders on a digital camera and went to court, asking for help in protecting their resources.

There are, however, several sanctioned ways to see Niihau. From here you can head to the coastal waters of Niihau and go snorkeling. Of course, without the opportunity to go ashore. You can also dive into Lehua Crater, a volcanic cone located north of Niihau Island.

Is it possible to get to the island?

If you want to head to the shore, the Robinsons offer guided excursions and hunting safaris, ferrying curious tourists in their private helicopter from Kauai to the remote areas of Niihau. The excursion consists of an air tour and then tourists are taken to a remote beach for lunch and snorkeling. Long hunting trips can cost more than $1,700 but allow a little more freedom to roam the island.

The Robinsons' tours help support Niihau economically, but deliberately avoid contact with local residents. The village remains out of sight to protect the integrity of the Niihauan.

For Bruce Robinson, who is married to an indigenous islander, maintaining Niihau's unique culture and way of life is a priority.

In 2013, he gave an interview in which he said that the islanders have “a sense of inner peace and renewal that we don’t understand in the outside world. Western culture has lost it, and so have the rest of the islands. The only thing left of it is the island of Niihau in Hawaii."

Niihau is the westernmost and seventh largest inhabited Hawaiian Islands. From point of view territorial division USA Niihau belongs to the state. The island is located 17.5 miles from, and its area is 180 square kilometers. Niihau has several lakes that provide excellent habitat for many birds, including the Hawaiian coot, stilt and Hawaiian duck. The island is home to several endemic and endangered species. The U.S. Census Bureau has designated Ni'ihau and some neighboring islands as a seabird sanctuary.

In 2000, the island's population was 160 people. In 2010, this figure increased to 170 people
Scottish landowner Elizabeth Sinclair bought the island of Niihau in 1864 from the Kingdom of Hawaii and has been passed on by inheritance ever since. The island now belongs to the Robinson family. During World War II, a funny incident occurred on the island: a Japanese plane crashed on the island, but its pilot survived and single-handedly terrorized the entire population of the island for about a week.

The inhabitants of Niihau Island are known as the original speakers of the Hawaiian language. The island itself is quite closed and not many people can get to it: it’s mostly local residents and their relatives, as well as US Navy personnel based in Hawaii and some government officials. Due to Niihau's closed nature, it received the nickname "Forbidden Island". However, since 1987, Niihau has become accessible to tourists: a limited number of safari tours go on sale each year.

Geographical position

Niihau is located 29 kilometers west of. Also approximately one kilometer north of Niihau there is a small desert island Lehua. The maximum height of the island is 390 meters.

Scientists have determined that the island is 4.9 million years old, while the neighboring island is older: it is already 5 million. Niihau itself is essentially the top of an extinct volcano.

Climate

Niihau's climate is arid. Due to the characteristics of the flow of air masses, it rarely rains. The fact is that Niihau is located in the rain shadow. This means that the island is dependent on cyclones that come here from other regions. However, there are also long periods of drought. Thus, one of the officers of the famous navigator James Cook, George Vancouver, in his notes, reported that sometime in 1792, the naval population left the island due to severe drought and the famine that arose because of it.

Flora and Fauna of the Island

Like other arid islands, for many centuries the island had no trees at all, as reported by James Cook in 1778. However, the grandfather of the island's current owners, Aubrey Robinson, planted 10,000 trees in one year across most of the island. Aubrey's efforts slightly changed the climate of the island and it became less arid, and some of the trees took root. As a result, the island became home to birds, some of which are now endemic.

Due to its swampy terrain, Niihau is home to the Hawaiian coot, stilt, Hawaiian duck, and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. The island's owners, the Robinson family, believe that its privacy and shoreline features contribute to better survival of the monk seal in the US Hawaiian sanctuaries. By the way, the monk seal itself was on the verge of extinction due to its capture by people.

The island is also home to the Eland antelope, oryx, maned boar and wild sheep. Hunting for these animals is offered by the owners of the island in safari format.

Story

Indigenous peoples lived on the Hawaiian islands even before meeting Europeans. Colonization practically did not affect Hawaii and local peoples continued to live as before. In 1795, the Hawaiian islands were united into a single kingdom, which, however, did not include the islands of Niihau and. In 1810, after a series of military clashes, the last two independent islands became part of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

In 1864, Niihau Island was purchased by landowner Elizabeth McHuston Sinclair for $10,000. After this purchase, the art of weaving mattresses was lost. It was on Niihau that it was believed that “the best mattresses in Polynesia” were woven.

In 1915, Elizabeth Houston's grandson closed the island to most visitors. Even relatives of people living on the island could come to Niihau only with special permission. The current owners of the island are Bruce and Keith Robinson.

The story of a Japanese pilot who crashed and was eventually killed by local residents gave rise to the popular US song You Can’t Conquer Niihau, Nohow (You Can’t Conquer Niihau).

Niihau Island has maintained political relations with the United States since 1924. The US Navy base was built here and training was conducted

Population

There are about 130 permanent residents on the island. Almost all of them are native Hawaiians. Their main livelihoods are fishing and agriculture.

Not on the island rent for housing and meat is part of the social security of residents, that is, it is also free.

There are no roads on the island and no telephone service. The main mode of transport is horses, and electricity is generated by solar water. There is no running water on the island and

sewer system. Water is either brought to the island or supplied as rainwater.

There are also no hotels or shops on the island, and all food is delivered by barge.

Most of the island's residents speak Hawaiian as their native language. Some also speak English as a second language.

Radio and television signal reception on the island is limited; it catches little and poorly. Part of the population works on the island. There are also schools and hospitals there.

Economy

The island's main source of income is the lease of land from the US government on which the missile defense installation is located. Local residents also make souvenirs and jewelry that are sold on other islands (By the way, these products are very expensive and popular).
Also, the source of income for the local population is cattle breeding and fishing (mostly mullet is caught here).

Tourism on Niihau

Since 1987, a limited number of safari packages have been sold to the island. Tourists are transported by A109 helicopter for half a day

In 2004, only one island resident did not vote in favor of George W. Bush.

In 1944, the island was considered as a candidate for UN headquarters

Niihau... Forbidden Hawaiian Island... Or silent... second name... The smallest inhabited island of the Hawaiian archipelago. Niihau is one of the main eight Hawaiian islands, classified as the southeastern islands.
This wonderful island is accessible to visitors only to native Hawaiians (relatives of those living on this island) or personal guests of the Robinson family.
You can only get around on this island by bicycle or on foot. Its area is almost 180 km2.
This forbidden island is home to the only lake in the Hawaiian Islands, Halulu.
There are only 250 indigenous people who speak exclusively Hawaiian among themselves (and their way of life has not changed significantly over the last century)
The island has no shops, no restaurants, no paved roads, no electricity, no medical care, the only thing there is a harbor, a small school and bamboo huts.
Niihau is the driest island in the Hawaiian Islands. This is the only island where the Lei flower does not grow (remember, in the movies, beautiful Hawaiian women always greet tourists wearing necklaces made of these flowers?)
And, if a guest arrives on the island (strictly at the invitation of the island residents or members of the Robinson family), then he is greeted with a shell Ley (made from special shells that can only be found on the beaches of this island), and since these are very rare shells, collectors willing to pay thousands of dollars for these shell flowers.
The only available work on the island is on the Robinson family's ranch (raising cattle).
The residents themselves are actively involved agriculture, fishing and hunting (they only use nets, spears, knives and ropes)

By the way, in principle, you can get to the island by boat from the neighboring island of Kauai, but you won’t be able to moor, much less go ashore.
You can only admire the mesmerizing views, you can also swim with a mask, but going ashore is strictly prohibited (((
Do you know how much this wonderful island was bought for by a woman named Elizabeth Sinclair, who lived on the neighboring island of Kauai in 1863? For 10,000 dollars!!! It was for this amount that King Kamehameha IV sold it
Now, her heirs, the Robinson family, own this tiny island of paradise and are trying to preserve the primitive Hawaiian culture on it.
And, as I read in one of the magazines, a practically slave-owning system flourishes there:
Mr. Robinson was a peculiar person. He bought up all the land on the island to leave this tropical paradise for himself and his family. He was not interested in anything other than animal husbandry.
He did not allow the telephone to be installed on Niihau, and did not want to hear about the radio. In addition, he did not allow weapons to be brought to Niihau. As a result, he remained there as the sole owner of a hunting rifle and two pistols. There were never any strangers on Niihau. Tourists were not allowed on the island. Only once a week did a boat come there from Kauai, the nearest Hawaiian archipelago. She delivered groceries and left mail and newspapers.
Today, three representatives of the Robinson family live on the island: the ruler and owner of all things, Helen, and her two sons, Bruce and Kate, obedient executors of their mother’s will.
In addition to them, 250 Hawaiians live here.
Of these, only two people enjoy relative freedom and independence. These are teachers from a tiny local school who teach children to read, write and count.
They cannot give much knowledge - they do not have the appropriate qualifications. All the other residents are in the Robinson's position... no, not Friday's friendly assistants, but powerless servants - maybe even slaves. Someone takes care of livestock; others take care of fuel for the Robinsons' house; still others provide the family of rulers with fresh honey from wild bees all year round; still others collect the largest and most beautiful shells on the coast; fifths make necklaces from them, which the owner’s sons Bruce and Kate personally sell to tourists at the market in the capital of Hawaii, Honolulu; sixth, seventh... In a word, Lady Robinson “took care” of all her subjects and found something useful for everyone - for her own family - to do.
Perhaps the islanders are allowed to leave Niihau? No. It's "illegal." For any more or less important business, either the mistress herself or her children travel to the neighboring islands. It only happens - but extremely rarely - that one of the subjects is sent to Honolulu on an errand. In this case, he is obliged to return and report on execution. And God forbid, if in the capital he talks about the living conditions and order prevailing on Niihau: severe punishment will await the violator of the ban. Therefore, in Hawaii, Niihau is also known by another name: “Island of the Silent Ones.”
By the way, when the governor of the Hawaiian Islands decided to visit the island, the Robinsons refused him a visa and he could not do it!!!
Journalists also repeatedly tried to enter the island. And the most they could do was stay there for one day, and then they were always discovered and sent to Kauai...
Yes! In addition to the Hawaiians, two Japanese lived on the island. One of them looked after the Robinson family's apiary.
By the way, every evening we met the sunset, saying goodbye to the sun. Moreover, one could always see people turning their faces to the ocean and carefully watching the luminary entering the water. Usually, I got tired of this activity in the second week, and I tried to return to normal activities, to which they started shushing me and telling me that I should definitely try to see a green flush.
I still couldn’t understand what it was that all the residents were waiting in fascination every evening. Only once did I manage to witness this miracle. It lasted only a moment. As I later found out on the Internet, this phenomenon is called a “green ray”. At some point, when the sun goes completely into the ocean, you can see a ray of green light, as if emerging from the waves. I will not go into details of the origin of this miracle, I will only say that this phenomenon occurs for the same reasons as a rainbow, due to the dispersion of light. At such moments there should be no clouds in the sky. The flash itself occurs at lightning speed and can only be seen if you watch the sun very carefully.
I was never able to photograph this miracle of nature, no matter how hard I tried (((
Well, how do you like it, dear Gossip Girls?! Socialism, slavery or something else reigns on this paradise island?! Robins...Robinson...Robinsons are all about the same people. Various sources. All photos are not mine. My husband and I decided to definitely go to Hawaii in the summer and try to photograph this island, at least from the outside. So, it is very possible that the end to this topic has not been set... Thank you for taking the time to read my post. Good luck to you all!!!