Kualapuu, Maui County, Hawaii
Molokai, the fifth biggest island in Hawaii, is known for its pristine and solitary surroundings, and the friendly locals. Molokai can be found 25 miles southeast of Oahu island, and 25 minutes away from Maui. With Molokai's population made up of around 50% native Hawaiians, this is the one island which breathes the true soul of Aloha. Nature thrives in its virgin splendor, untarnished by commercialism and frills. Molokai is a place where you would forget that the world outside existed. Buildings and skyscrapers are unheard of in the area. The tallest structure here is only as tall as a tree, and malls are only part of a distant memory as you go around its small business areas and village stores. To be in Molokai is to be one with nature, and to bask in the warmth of its people. Rich in culture and history, Molokai has spectacular places to go to and activities to engage in.
A locality in Molokai, Kualapuu has a population of 1,936 people, comprised mainly of Native Hawaiians, followed by Filipinos, Whites, Hispanics or Latinos, and Japanese. American Indians, Chinese, and those with mixed ancestries also reside in the area of Kualapuu. A large number of people are with families and/or with children. Shopping can be done in Kualapuu village's small stores, where majority of the products are proudly made by the local residents. Going around Kualapuu can be easily achieved, and every place you'd like to go to can be reached all within a day's travel.
Kualapuu's History
The history of Kualapuu can be traced to the history of the island. Several centuries ago, Molokai was created with the eruption of three volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean, namely the Kamakou, the Maunaloa, and the Kauhako. Over time, these volcanic activities, combined with other forces of nature, have shaped Molokai into what it is today.
The first settlers on Molokai were the Polynesians, who arrived around 650 A.D. These people had their own culture and way of living, which enabled them to survive in Molokai. Their leaders and prophets were known for their power and wisdom. This, together with strategic alliances with other chiefs by marriage, enabled Molokai to be protected from the wars between the other islands.
Though Molokai had already been spotted by Captain Cook in 1778, it was only in 1786 that Europeans were able to reach their shores. Afterwards, a minister named Reverend Harvey Hitchcock arrived to start a community in 1832. This was followed by the continued arrival of other foreigners, who wanted to start plantations on this fertile island.
The area was known to be the largest producer of pineapples in the world. Aside from that, the area also have sugar mills and coffee farms that cemented Maui as a leading provider of agricultural products. Included in the list of the more famous and successful entrepreneurs during those times was a German immigrant named Rudolph W. Meyer. He first arrived in the island during 1848, and worked as a surveyor of lands. He soon married Kalama, a Molokai high chieftess, and settled in Molokai with his family. In 1878, Meyer started a sugar mill in his land, and used mules and steam engines to process the sugar cane.
Kualapuu is an area that has evolved through time. It had been originally a Del Monte pineapple plantation until it closed in 1988. Afterwards, the area was converted as a plantation for coffee. Now, Kualapuu, just like some towns in Hawaii, is known for its coffee produce than its rich pineapple heritage.
Kualapuu's Attractions
A visitor to Kualapuu cannot boast of really being in the area unless he has gone to the Molokai Museum and Cultural Center. Found just a few miles from the outskirts of Kualapuu, this museum has displays and restored artifacts of Hawaii's oldest sugar mill. With just a small fee, you can take a tour and see how this mill produced sugar. Afterwards, hop to Molokai's Coffee Plantation, and before you leave, stop at Coffees of Hawaii gift shop to try their very strong Muleskinner variety. You could also take a tour around their coffee fields while on a wagon and see how they make coffee at the processing plant.
For sports enthusiasts, Kualapuu also has its Community Center, which boasts of a baseball field, basketball and volleyball court, and a multi-purpose field for either soccer or football. Or, if you're tired of golf courses that all look the same, from their manicured lawns to their sand pits, spend a day with your family and friends at the Ironwood Hills Golf Club. It has sprawling fields of rustic golf courses that still retain the look and feel of the 1920s. Kualapuu also has its share of parks and trails where you can spend your day walking or riding a bike.
Kualapuu has a selection of local restaurants and coffee shops that will cater to any urban people. Among these are Friendly Isle Coffee Co. and Kamuela's Cookhouse. Of course, for those who are looking for their favorite to-go eats, there are also fast food chains available.
Kualapuu's Economy
With the decline of the industry of pineapple and sugar since 1990, Molokai is gearing to push its economy with the science and technology, health, tourism, research and development, and entertainment.
Because Molokai, and even Kualapuu, has an image of being 'forgotten' or 'protected' from the ravages of time and technology, people have been expressing their appreciation and intent to return. This indicates that more and more businesses could benefit greatly. While local residents are now open in allowing more tourists to visit their island, they are still carefully guarding Molokai island from the wear and tear that could be brought by tourism.
Being a small place, Kualapuu's main source of income is in the services catering to the health and education of its people. Among the jobs that are most common in Kualapuu are those in medical technology, health care, and pharmacy. More than half of the residents work in neighboring or nearby places. For a long time, Kualapuu has been an agriculture site for crops like pineapple. Today, being a coffee plantation and processing location, Kualapuu is starting to gain its fair share of coffee enthusiasts, not just from Hawaii, but also from other faraway places and countries.
Like other towns in the Aloha state, tourism is the main industry, with most residents having local shops like restaurants, travel inns, boutiques, and souvenir shops. This could explain for the median income of Kualapuu households and families, with the amount estimated to be in the $37,000 to $38,000 range. However, 15.1% of their population still lives below the poverty line.
Kualapuu Statistics:
Population: 1,936Households: 564
Median resident age: 33.6 years
Median household income: $37,422
Median house value: $125,400
Land area: 30.5 square miles
Elevation: 878 feet
Latitude: 21°9'N
Longitude: 157°3'W
Zip code: 96757
County: Maui
