For 160 years, Kalaupapa, Molokaʻi has been home to people living with Hansen's disease. Thousands of people were sent there after being diagnosed with or even suspected of having the illness. The area is managed by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health. Today, fewer than ten patients remain, most in their eighties. Long before the settlement, Native Hawaiians lived on the land for centuries. Their history and connection to the place are an essential part of the larger story of Kalaupapa. Hawaiʻi is now facing difficult questions about the future of the peninsula. Proposed legislation this year would transfer control of the area to Maui County. How that would align with the long-term plans of the National Park Service remains unclear. PBS Hawaiʻi is bringing stakeholders together for KĀKOU: Hawaiʻi's Town Hall to discuss The Future of Kalaupapa.

Air Date: Thu, May 28, 2026 7:30 PM