The family of John T. Unea, Sr. who was sent to Kalaupapa, Molokai in 1893, at the age of 42. Photo by Wayne Levin.
Developed by Ka `Ohana O Kalaupapa, “The Restoration of Family Ties” project has helped hundreds of families in Hawai`i learn more about ancestors or other loved ones who were sent to Kalaupapa between 1865 and 1969 because of government policies regarding leprosy (Hansen’s disease). Ka `Ohana O Kalaupapa uses a growing collection of information compiled from archives and other sources to bring the people of Kalaupapa back into the history they helped create, and to help families remember their forebears with love and pride. This evening, as a complement to our current special exhibit on Kalaupapa, Ka `Ohana coordinator Valerie Monson shares these inspiring stories and lets us know how we can help advocate for the Kalaupapa community, develop educational programs, and preserve this important (and often misunderstood) chapter in the history of our Islands.
