Hawai‘i History

The History of Hawai‘i: From Kingdom to Statehood, and beyond

The present makes more sense when you understand the past. As this department grows, expect ASD to explore pre-contact Hawai‘i, Hawaiian Kingdom history, U.S. Annexation, Territorial days, Pearl Harbor, Statehood, the Hawaiian Renaissance and on into the modern era. We will celebrate the cultures, the people and landmarks that have made us who we are today.

Strange Events at the Ke‘elikōlani Building

It's hard to imagine now, but this area of the Capitol District of Honolulu was once waterfront property, where King Kamehameha I and his Royal Court made their home. Now, state government department heads, rather than powerful kahuna, hold sway, but it's possible the old energies linger, causing eerie experiences.

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 13, 2026

The continuous haunting of the Kaka‘ako fire station

Fire stations around the world, and across the Islands, are famous for hauntings. Here's a closer look at the strange experiences of fire fighters at the Kaka‘ako Fire Station, located in an area where once more than a thousand small pox victims were buried.

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 06, 2026

Community Voices: More on the Menehune

Famous to this day are the Menehune's wondrous works: Kīkī-a-Ola irrigation canal of Waimea; the koa forest and home of Hālau-a-Ola; the walkway through Alakaʻi, Kīpapa-a-Ola; and, this wondrous work, ʻAlekoko Fishpond, also called the “Menehune Fishpond.”

Kalani AkanaMay 05, 2026

Ghosts of Kiona‘ole Road

In the dark of night, a certain tree along this storied Windward O‘ahu road could be a beacon of the spirit world.

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 29, 2026

Community Voices: The Menehune: A true race of people

Origins of the Menehune you may not be aware of.

Kalani AkanaApril 23, 2026

Ghostly history of Kamāmalu Playground

A home once stood on the property, then known as Emma Street, and its owner seemed unwilling to stay away even after death. But is she the only spirit that haunts the site?

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 22, 2026

A mystery on the Koko Crater Trail

If you think climbing 1,000 steps is scary, just wait until you hear who — or what — you might meet at the summit!

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 15, 2026

Ghosts of the King Street Cemetery

From 1845 until the 1920s, a parcel of land outside of Honolulu granted by Governor Boki served as an active cemetery for the Catholic Church in Hawai‘i. It's still there on King Street, though its quiet surroundings have given way to high-rises, utilities and a hospital. Also still there, some say, are the spirits of the deceased appearing amid the headstones.

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 08, 2026

In the presence of the Queen

"The Spirit of Lili‘uokalani," the bronze statue of Hawai‘i's last ruling monarch, Queen Liliʻuokalani, is a physical manifestation of the Queen beside the Hawai‘i State Capitol. But people tell stories of encountering more spiritual manifestations of her presence as well.

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 01, 2026

The Mana of King Lunalilo

On his deathbed, King William Charles Lunalilo expressed a wish to be buried among his people rather than among the kings and chiefs and so he was interred in a tomb at Kawaiaha‘o Church. That's where the author personally had a profound experience of an otherworldly nature.

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 25, 2026

The ghost dog at Kukui Plaza

Sightings, decades apart, of a ghostly dog suggest that an enduring presence roams the area of Downtown Honolulu that now houses Kukui Plaza.

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 18, 2026

Community Voices: Threats to Greenland recall the annexation of Hawaiʻi

In Nuuk, the capital of Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), thousands gathered in what the Naalakkersuisut (the Greenlandic government) described as the largest protest in the country’s history. Similarly, Kanaka Maoli march annually to mark 133 years since the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. For both island homelands, foreign powers attempt to determine their futures.

Adam Keawe Manalo-CampMarch 17, 2026