Hawaii History
The History of Hawaii: 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.
News
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
Early morning ghosts at Wahiawā General
Wahiawā in central O‘ahu has long been at the center of things. It once boasted extensive taro lo‘i. It was important to the sandalwood trade. As a modern community grew up around its agriculture, so did a town with a school that became a hospital. That's where this week's ghost story takes, in the wee hours, in the waiting room.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 11, 2026
Community Voices: Understanding Blood Quantum
It was not until the 1921 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was passed by the U.S. Congress, with language defining “natives” as those individuals having 50% or more Hawaiian blood, that the idea of “blood quantum” to determine our Hawaiian-ness was introduced into the consciousness of our people.
Puanani Fernandez-AkamineMarch 09, 2026
The spirit at Plantation Hale
The Kaua‘i area now known as Waipouli was formerly known as Kololoku or Kaloloku Swamp, a former wetland where Native Hawaiians once thrived. For half a century it's been developed for modern tourism, but the spirits remain and make themselves known.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 04, 2026
More paranormal activity at Paradise Park
Paradise Park stands suspended between memory and mystery. On one hand, the visitor center reasons open and lively, even if the majority of the park closed years ago. As for the rest of the property, what was once a place of celebration and song now rests quietly beneath a canopy of trees, overtaken by the forest. Whether the strange occurrences are echoes of the past or simply imagination, the valley has always carried a spiritual weight that demands respect.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiFebruary 25, 2026
‘Ōkolehao gets a hearing (or two)
Modern-day local distillers of ‘ōkolehao, the Hawaiian spirit distilled from ki plant roots, are before the Legislature this session, looking for the sort of legal protections afforded to such local products as Kona coffee, in competition with outside brands trying to capitalize on the name. It's the latest chapter in Hawai‘i's 200-year on-again, off-again love affair with what has been called Hawai‘i's brandy or moonshine at different times. Here's a look at its colorful past — King David Kalakaua loved it, Queen Lili‘uokalani tried to curtail it — and the present-day quest to define and preserve ‘ōkolehao as a uniquely Hawai‘i product.
Perry ArrasmithFebruary 25, 2026
State Archives receive century-old Portuguese immigration records
The Portuguese Consulate in San Francisco gifted the state scans of immigration data from between 1878 and 1934.
Michael BrestovanskyFebruary 21, 2026
Group’s kuleana to maintain Kūʻīlioloa Heiau in Waiʻanae
The Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Moku O Kapuāiwa Chapter, helps steward the ancient site near Pokaʻi Bay still used today for community events that perpetuate Hawaiian culture.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 19, 2026
Paranormal activity at Paradise Park
If you want to understand why Mānoa Valley is filled with spirits and strange occurrences, consider that even the beauty of its endless rainbows has a dark side in the tragic story of Kahalaopuna, the famed “Rainbow Princess” of Mānoa.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiFebruary 18, 2026
Community Voices: Civic engagement does not negate nationhood
In the 19th century, organizations such as Hui Kālaiʻāina and Hui Aloha ʻĀina mobilized tens of thousands of Kānaka Maoli to defend constitutional governance, national sovereignty and the authority of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Adam Keawe Manalo-CampFebruary 16, 2026
Echoes of The Willows
Generations of kama‘āina have warm memories of The Willows restaurant in Mō‘ili‘ili. Here's the real history of the location, and the reasons why people who worked there heard singing when no one was present and saw the footprints of ghostly children.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiFebruary 11, 2026
Residual spirits at Morgan’s Corner
Arguably the most famous haunted place on O‘ahu is Morgan's Corner in Nu‘uanu. Do you know the real story behind it? Turns out, there's more than one possible explanation for the things seen and presences felt where life and death intersect on Nu‘uanu Pali Drive.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiFebruary 04, 2026
Whispers in the holding cells
If trauma and intense emotion can lead to hauntings, it's no surprise that a former police station, once home to holding cells, would harbor lingering echoes of the past.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJanuary 28, 2026
Hawai‘i’s evolution, as related by Tom Coffman
“Statehood wasn't the end of history, but a transition to a new history,” Tom Coffman once said. “Statehood allowed Hawai‘i to open up, and to let people assert themselves more, and allowed the genie of the Hawaiian movement to get out of the lantern.” Here, our political historian examines Coffman's life in the Islands as an investigative journalist, historian and filmmaker.
Perry ArrasmithJanuary 26, 2026
The haunting history of Kualoa
Long regarded as sacred, Kualoa was originally a special place reserved for chiefs and it was once a place where ali‘i from O‘ahu and Maui wrestled for control. With legends dating back to ancient times, and more modern tragedies as well, spirits of the past make their presence known.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJanuary 21, 2026
The Pilgrimage of Bob Krauss
A half-century ago, legendary journalist Bob Krauss joined a 300-mile trek across Hawai‘i island, inspiring his 1975 book, "The Island Way." In it he explored "an Island approach to our global future" that was influential on local politics at the time and very much worth revisiting today.
Perry ArrasmithJanuary 15, 2026
Community Voices: The Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana celebrates 50 years of aloha ʻāina
“Laʻa, Maʻa, Paʻa; Sanctify, Sustain, Solidify,” is an ʻōlelo noʻeau from Aunty Alice Kuloloio of Maui that has been adopted as the ʻOhana’s 50th Anniversary slogan. It provides vision for their aloha ʻāina work.
Davianna Pōmaikaʻi McGregor, Hina Keala & Kaipu KealaJanuary 13, 2026
Hauntings at Honolulu's Yokohama Yokai
On the corner of Merchant and Bethel Streets in Downtown Hotel, you'll find the Yokohama Special Bank Building. It's a storied site, once home to the hale pili of ali‘i. After the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Army took over the bank building as a military police station. Is it any wonder occupants have reported strange occurences?
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJanuary 07, 2026
Disembodied voices at Queen Kapi‘olani Hotel
Spirits ancient and modern have been heard and seen in the hallways and kitchens of this hotel, named for King David Kalākaua’s gracious wife.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiDecember 31, 2025
Residual energy manifests at Ali‘i Place
More than a century ago, the site hosted stables that were burned down during an outbreak of bubonic plague. Now, it's home to the Ali‘i Place office tower. One tenant, the Prosecuting Attorney for Honolulu, is the kind of place where strong emotions leave a mark on their surroundings, resulting in eerie experiences.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiDecember 24, 2025
Community Voices: Who decides what is historic?
A personal essay discovering how parts of Hawaiʻi’s past — houses and the land they sit on — are preserved, and a recommendation to the state for its future.
Maxx RamosDecember 16, 2025
Huaka‘i Pō at First Hawaiian Center
First Hawaiian Center remains the tallest building in Downtown Honolulu. The property on which is stands is home to an amazing — and sometimes frightening — history. Long before there was a bank, a house stood on the property, known as Haleʻākalā. Bernice Pauahi lived there, as did the future Queen Liliʻuokalani. Duke Kahanamoku was born there. And some say Huaka‘i Pō, the Night Marchers, still make their presence known there.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiDecember 10, 2025
The Spirit of Kamakahonu
Hungry spirits and haunted history surround the King Kamehameha Hotel on the Kona Coast of Hawai‘i Island. The area of Kamakahonu was home the royal compound of Kamehameha I, where he worshipped at Ahu‘ena heiau and where the most influential figures in Hawaiʻi gathered nightly.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiDecember 03, 2025
Hawaiʻi Island artist advances to finale for “Hawaiʻi to the World”
This singer and songwriter will represent Hawaiʻi Island in the finale of a new talent competition, “Hawaiʻi to the World,” which was launched by Hawaiian Council. So far, finalists have also been named to represent Kauaʻi and Maui.
Katie HellandDecember 02, 2025
Why does Hawai‘i have a GET?
The General Excise Tax. We all know it, we all complain about it, especially the way it stacks up in transaction after transaction, raising prices. But there was a time when it didn't exist at all. Here's a look at who created it, when, and, most importantly, why.
Perry ArrasmithNovember 28, 2025
Spooky shadows at the Pink Palace
The Royal Hawaiian Resort Waikīkī is nearly a century old, and at least three centuries of history and legends predate it at its seaside location. Is it any wonder guests have reported otherworldly experiences?
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiNovember 26, 2025
Ups and downs of haunted Harbor Court
Long ago, the land under Harbor Court in Downtown Honolulu hosted a heiau and generations of Native Hawaiians. Layers of landfill and modern architecture may have covered the area, but they can't erase the lingering traces of the past.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiNovember 19, 2025
Disney’s live action “Lilo & Stitch” actor stars in local theater production
“Outlandish,” a new play about the Victorian travel writer Isabella Bird and her encounter with King Lunalilo had its world premiere on the stage of Kumu Kahua Theatre this month. Joining the cast is actor Kaipo Dudoit, who spoke with Aloha State Daily about how he gets into character for the role of King Lunalilo.
Katie HellandNovember 14, 2025
Haunted halls of Honolulu Hale
Honolulu's city hall, Honolulu Hale, is nearly a century old — old enough to acquire a reputation for sightings of a supernatural nature. Here's the history of how the building came to be, and what people have experienced in its hallways.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiNovember 12, 2025
Inside: A Night at the Museum with Iona
Cheryl Flaharty, the founder and artistic director of Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre, takes Aloha State Daily behind-the-scenes of its upcoming free First Friday event at the Capitol Modern. Flaharty wanted to be a jazz dancer before she took a life-changing contemporary dance class at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Katie HellandNovember 07, 2025
The bones beneath the Contessa
The Contessa condominium in Mo‘ili‘ili stands where Kamo‘ili‘ili Church and its mainly Hawaiian graveyard had served the community since 1850. The remains of nearly 500 people were moved for the condo, but workers and residents over the years have reported chilling tales of the spirits that remain.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiNovember 05, 2025
Prince Kūhiō’s racing canoe returns to water after decade on land
This racing canoe is headed back to the ocean. Learn more about it and its recent role in an exhibit at the Bishop Museum.
Katie HellandNovember 01, 2025
“Defining Courage” returns to Hawai’i
This live show honors the Japanese American soldiers of World War II. "Defining Courage" was previously at Hawai'i Theatre on O'ahu in 2023. Now, the immersive live show is back on two islands: O'ahu and Maui.
Katie HellandOctober 31, 2025
Ages of unrest at Windward Mall
The former Sears store in particular had been a nexus for unexplained activities — staffers and shoppers pushed by unseen forces, clothes flung along their racks.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiOctober 29, 2025
Hawai‘i Then and Now: Kealakekua's Aloha Theater
Built in 1932 for movies by the Tanimoto family, this South Kona landmark started offering live theater performances as early as 1939. Now it's the full-time home of the Aloha Performing Arts Company, where, Artistic Director Sarah Athens says, "Anyone can be an actor. Anyone can be an artist. All you have to do is want it.”
Andrea CavaliereOctober 29, 2025
Unseen visitors at the Mission Houses
Between 1821 and 1832, missionaries built three houses on what was then a dry and dusty plain. A city has grown up around then since then, but eerie shadows of the past have been seen at these Honolulu landmarks.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiOctober 22, 2025
Ghosts of the past at the Navy Exchange
The building rests on the slopes of Āliamanu and Āliapaʻakai, places bound to the legends of the goddess Pele and her sister Hiʻiaka. Shoppers and staff alike have shared eerie tales of what they've seen and felt here.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiOctober 15, 2025
Japanese Breakfast — Teshima’s and a Century of Change in South Kona
Teshima's Restaurant is a South Kona landmark dating back to 1929. Here is the family story behind the landmark, with then-and-now photos.
Andrea CavaliereOctober 15, 2025
Hauntings at Honolulu’s “Ghostbusters” building
At the corner of Kapiʻolani and Ke‘eaumoku stands a modern building with some possibly ancient nighttime visitors, according to people who have worked there late at night.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiOctober 08, 2025
Meet two HIFF filmmakers nominated for Made in Hawaiʻi awards
Ricky-Thomas Serikawa, the director of “Back to the Loko,” and Alex Bocchieri, the director of “Dasher,” are showcasing their work at the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival. Their films are nominated for the festival’s Made in Hawaiʻi short film award.
Katie HellandOctober 04, 2025
Ghost tour company ranks No. 1 in nation
Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui run this ghost tour company, which was just named the best in the nation by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The company has been named No. 1 on the list for three years in a row.
Katie HellandOctober 02, 2025
55 years of Kāhala Mall
The first enclosed, air-conditioned shopping center in the Islands celebrates its 55th anniversary in October.
Stephanie SalmonsOctober 01, 2025
Disembodied eyes at Mānoa Falls Trail
If you look out into the dark of night at this storied trail, something just might look back at you.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiOctober 01, 2025
Lopaka Kapanui brings ghost stories to Hawaiʻi Theatre
What do ghosts, storytellers and the symphony have in common? They will be gathering for a one-night-only show at Hawaiʻi Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 18. Storyteller Lopaka Kapanui shares a behind-the-scenes look at his upcoming collaboration with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra.
Katie HellandSeptember 25, 2025
Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i set to celebrate 175th anniversary
Founded in 1850, the chamber — the second oldest chamber organization west of the Rockies — will mark its 175th anniversary in October. To celebrate the milestone, the chamber will host "An Evening of Legacy" gala on Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom.
Stephanie SalmonsSeptember 25, 2025
Kaukonahua’s Haunted Drive
The tree-lined two-lane connecting Wahiawā to the North Shore just might be home to the ghostly presence of a doomed bride.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiSeptember 24, 2025
The mana remains at Pu‘u o Mahuka
Above Waimea Bay on O‘ahu stands the island's largest heiau, Pu‘u o Mahuka. Dedicated to the war god, Kū, the place still holds special power. Is it any wonder people have had some intensely strange experiences there?
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiSeptember 17, 2025
Hauntings at Hawai‘i’s Biggest Mall
With a long history of Hawaiians living in the area prior to Ala Mona Center's development, the shopping center has been home to many strange and eerie sightings.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiSeptember 10, 2025
"Chief of War" actor Siua Ikaleʻo shares journey to playing Nahi
He didn’t plan to try out for Nahi, the little brother of Kaʻiana, played by Jason Momoa, in “Chief of War.” But the casting team for the Apple TV+ mini series asked actor Siua Ikaleʻo to audition for the role after casting him as a villain didn’t seem to be the right fit.
Katie HellandSeptember 04, 2025
The Haunting of Kinau Hale
Is it ironic, or fitting, that the government office that hands out death certificates may be haunted by multiple spirits? Strange things have been experienced at the corner of Punchbowl and Beretania.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiSeptember 03, 2025
Mysteries of Hawai‘i competes for nation's Best Ghost Tour
"We're humbled and excited to be running for Best Ghost Tour in the nation for the third year in a row," the Kapanuis told Aloha State Daily.
A. Kam NapierSeptember 03, 2025
September marks inaugural Hawaiian History Month
Learn about some of the groups coming together to mark the occasional with events and activities.
Katie HellandAugust 30, 2025
Former Blue Angels pilot John Hiltz leads local nonprofit museum
Get to know the new CEO of Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, who was appointed by the board of directors in June to take the organization into its next phase.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosAugust 27, 2025
Watchful eyes at Makiki Temple
Only Hawai‘i can claim to have had two monarchs who sat as masters of a Masonic lodge during their reign: King Kamehameha IV and King David Kalākaua. Freemasonry offered brotherhood and a moral code — and a sense of mystery, with a strange tale emerging about the Makiki Temple.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiAugust 27, 2025
Your guide to Labor Day weekend
Wondering how to spend the long weekend? Aloha State Daily has you covered. Check out activities for the 80th Commemoration of WWII, including an air show plus a free concert by the Mākaha Sons; enjoy the Okinawan Festival; or find the latest fashion at the Hawaiʻi Swim Show. Learn more about these events and others happening Friday, Aug. 29, through Sunday, Aug. 31.
Katie HellandAugust 27, 2025
Ali‘i are ever-present at Mauna ‘Ala
In October 1865, a solemn procession of ali‘i moved 21 sets of royal remains from the grounds of ‘Iolani Palace to a then-new final resting place in Nu‘uanu Valley, Mauna ‘Ala, the Royal Mausoleum.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiAugust 20, 2025
Beneath the moon at Alakoko
Historians say that on certain nights, the Kauaʻi fishpond is not so still, and the riverbank not so empty.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiAugust 13, 2025
USS Missouri volunteer looks back on Navy career
Fifth-generation kama‘āina John Fernie served for 30 years in the U.S. Navy, inspired by his boyhood heroes, and has worked and volunteered as a tour guide at the Missouri since 2006. You'll also find here information on how make reservations for events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Cheryl Chee TsutsumiAugust 06, 2025
Heap of Misfortune in Mō‘ili‘ili Cemetery
Nearly a century ago, the Islands were stunned by the case of Myles Fukunaga, who kidnapped and murdered 10-year-old George Gill Jamieson, and was executed for his crimes. Does his guilty spirit haunt his gravesite?
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiAugust 06, 2025
Echoes of the Past at Poli‘ahu
The remains of this keiau on Kaua‘i carry a heavy burden of the past.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 30, 2025
Vanishing lights in the Tunnel of Trees
This week's ghost tale comes from Kaua‘i, where the Tunnel of Trees near Kōloa, while beautiful by day, is home to eerie experiences by night.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 23, 2025
Falls of Clyde to be removed from Honolulu Harbor
The 146-year-old vessel has been docked at the harbor for years and was impounded in 2016. Here's the fate that awaits the ship.
Stephanie SalmonsJuly 19, 2025
An East-West Center tailored for Hawaiʻi's needs
How this institution came to be and what it will need to become to survive.
Perry ArrasmithJuly 10, 2025
From haunted hotel to haunted museum
Spooky stories shared by staff at the No. 1 Capitol District Building, which was originally the Hawaiian Hotel that opened in February 1872.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 09, 2025
The women who march at night in Kaimukī
A little place history, as well as stories of "a female procession of spirits" at Puʻu o Kaimukī.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 02, 2025
The Statue That Watches
At Diamond Head Memorial Park, a statue of Jesus takes on a completely different feel after dark. What many people don't remember now is that the park was born out of crisis in Honolulu cemeteries at the turn of the last century — too few of them for the growing city, and often in poor condition.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 25, 2025
Haunted History of Hilton Hawaiian Village
Over the years, staff and guests alike have reported seeing, even speaking with, mysterious lone figures who then vanish without a trace.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 18, 2025
Historic Kona church gets rededicated after several years of renovations
A virtual visit with Christ Church Episcopal in Kealakekua: We share before and after photos of the 158-year-old buildingʻs transformation and community sentiment since its completion of this restoration project.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosJune 13, 2025
More than mail at this post office
Does the spirit of a postmaster still haunt these halls?
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 11, 2025
Hawai‘i's forgotten governor
He served two terms at a pivotal moment in Hawai‘i history, now his official portrait is in storage. Who was he and what happened to his legacy?
Perry ArrasmithJune 09, 2025
Free summer yoga near Battleship Missouri Memorial
The military community can enjoy free yoga on Tuesdays on the pier in front of the Battleship Missouri Memorial this summer. Participants must have base access.
Katie HellandJune 06, 2025
Beware Nu‘uanu Pali Drive
Lush and beautiful as it may be, Nu‘uanu Valley also has a dark side as the site of the battle that defined King Kamehameha's Hawai‘i and as the home to infamously haunted Morgan's Corner.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 04, 2025
Remembering Chaminade Coach Merv Lopes
Merv Lopes was already well-known in the local community from his time at Kailua and Kalāheo High Schools when he burst onto the college basketball scene like a meteor on December 23, 1982. That night, with much of the nation asleep, Lopes coached tiny Chaminade to a win over three-time Player of the Year Ralph Sampson and No. 1-ranked Virginia in what is considered the Greatest Upset in the History of College Basketball.
Jack DanilewiczMay 30, 2025
Smoke and Whispers at the State Capitol
Something more than the memory of thousands of failed bills haunts the State Capitol, possibly including a gubernatorial ghost.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 28, 2025
Strange occurrences at Diamond Head
The legend of Hawaii’s night marchers has endured over time, and the ghostly procession is still seen today all around the islands, even at Lē‘ahi, the Hawaiian name for Diamond Head.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 21, 2025
The Haunting Legacy of Ali‘iōlani Hale
The Massie Case may still haunt this building — literally!
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 14, 2025
Sand Island to be Mauliola once again?
Honolulu City Council to discuss resolution to restore Sand Island's traditional Hawaiian name
Michael BrestovanskyMay 13, 2025
Bud Pikrone to retire as GM of the Wailea Community Association after 25 years
Since 1987, the nonprofit corporation has stewarded the 1,500-acre master-planned Wailea Resort community on Maui, which today, has over 2,400 members and a budget of more than $3.5 million. A search for Pikrone’s successor is underway led by the board of director’s hiring committee and Inkinen Executive Search.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosMay 10, 2025
Mysterious Whispers at Kawaiaha‘o
Spectral experiences at Kawaiaha‘o Church and its neighboring cemetery, which sit on lands in use by Hawaiians since before Westerners arrived.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMay 07, 2025
Lei Day marked release of Māhealani Uchiyama’s new song
A growth spurt helped this artist discover her calling as a singer, songwriter and kumu hula. Māhealani Uchiyama released her newest song on Lei Day. It is part of the album, “Pōpoloheno: Songs of Resilience and Joy,” which launches June 13 and celebrates a compilation of stories of people of African descent in Hawaiian history.
Katie HellandMay 06, 2025
Lost Time at Topa Tower
Weird experiences at the site of the former Honolulu Fort suggest that the boundaries between past, present and future might be porous.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 30, 2025
A Hair Pulling Ghost at the Pier
Honolulu's waterfront changed dramatically 100 years ago, but the presence of an even older past did not.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 23, 2025
Pipikaula Corner: Downtown Honolulu 100 years ago (Updated!)
Do you recognize anything in this aerial view of Honolulu taken in April 1925?
A. Kam NapierApril 19, 2025
Hawai‘i Scene on Social: "Local braddahz every time they go thru the H3 tunnel"
Today's social media find was posted by jesstoomuch, and we have never seen anyone so excited about oxygen deprivation.
ASD StaffApril 17, 2025
A Haunting at a Princely Hotel
Hospitals, and the places where they once stood, can be a source of strange experiences. Here, our columnists share a firsthand account.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 16, 2025
Readers share their eerie stories about "The cave of an ancient shark god"
People have had a lot to say about their own strange encounters at what many call Mākua Cave since we published the legend of the place two weeks ago.
A. Kam NapierApril 15, 2025
Hawaiian History Meets Feng Shui
Looking into the eerie energies surrounding the Mānoa Chinese Cemetery.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 09, 2025
Readers respond to "Bringing Pork Over the Pali"
On Instagram, we asked readers to share their own stories in response to Lopaka and Tanya Kapanuiʻs history of why itʻs considered unlucky to bring pork over the Pali. Here are some of the replies so far, from funny to eerie.
A. Kam NapierApril 06, 2025
Bringing Pork Over the Pali
Kama‘āina know itʻs bad luck. Even visitors have heard itʻs bad luck. But do you know why?
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiApril 02, 2025
The cave of an ancient shark god
On the Wai‘anae Coast near Mākua is Kāneana Cave. In distant ages, the cave was underwater and the home of the shark god, Kāmohoali‘i. His romance with a mortal woman produced a son with a terrifying nature.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 26, 2025
Eerie Impressions in Iwilei
The land beneath the Iwilei Salvation Army building has a dark history.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 19, 2025
Haunted Hānaiakamalama
This storied house in Nu‘uanu Valley was well known more than a century ago for its many frightening experiences, from the sound of footsteps to visions of a disembodied head.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 12, 2025
The eerie history of Chinatown's Hocking Hale
This week, ASD launches a weekly column by Robert and Tanya Kapanui, historians and co-owners of the popular ghost tour, Mysteries of Hawai‘i. Together, they'll take readers on a journey into the historic, spiritual and supernatural dimensions of Hawai‘i places.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiMarch 05, 2025
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to star in possible Martin Scorsese movie about a Hawaiʻi mob boss?
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Director Martin Scorsese are pitching a possible new movie set in Hawaiʻi with a host of other stars, according to several Mainland media outlets.
A. Kam Napier & Katie HellandFebruary 20, 2025
Hawai‘i education then and now: A 50-year view on soaring costs and declining enrollment
Using the Hawai‘i State Data Book archives, we find that the biggest changes from 1972 to 2022 — the most recent stats available — concern the costs of education. Those are up substantially, even though enrollment and teacher pay both dropped.
A. Kam NapierFebruary 14, 2025
Historic Honolulu: a look at some of Downtown's notable buildings
Aloha State Daily recently spoke to architect Willa Trimble to find out more about some of Downtownʻs notable and historic buildings.
Stephanie SalmonsFebruary 08, 2025
Kahu Anela Rosa prepares to welcome ʻohana back to Lahaina’s Waiola Church
This congregation will gather in-person for the first time since its historic structure was destroyed by the 2023 Lahaina fire. As church leadership looks to rebuild, local families and visitors can plan to reconnect at a casual, outdoor service on Sunday, March 2.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 07, 2025
Mary Kawena Pukui featured on new $1 coin
The coin features an image of Pukui wearing a hibiscus flower, a kukui nut lei and a mu‘umu‘u with an aloha print, and “stylized depictions of water” in the background.
Stephanie SalmonsFebruary 06, 2025
UH-Hilo professor helps perpetuate the Hawaiian language
Growing up, Larry Kimura heard Hawaiian spoken at home but didn't have a chance to really learn the language until boarding as a student at Kamehameha Schools. In the decades since, he has worked to save the language, doing everything from recording then-rare native speakers in the ‘70s to now naming astronomical discoveries made by Hawaii's telescopes.
Stephanie SalmonsJanuary 20, 2025