Papahanaumokuakea
Highlights of Papahanaumokuakea
[list type="info"] [li]Significant to the Native Hawaiian culture[/li] [li]Archeological remains of Pre-European settlement[/li] [li]Features unique deepwater habitats[/li] [li]Many threatened and endangered species[/li] [li]Discovery Center virtual exploration of the area[/li] [/list]
Introduction to Papahanaumokuakea
Nearest City: Honolulu
Province: Hawaii
Coordinates: Lat: 25.7; Long: -171.73
Accessibility: Challenging
Services: No Services
Located to the northwest of the Hawaiian Archipelago, Papahanaumokuakea is a cluster of small and isolated islands. They are significant due to their importance to Native Hawaiian culture. These people believe that this linear group of islands is where life originates and is also the place that spirits go after death. It is an embodiment of the Hawaiian idea that there is a kinship between human beings and the natural world.
The area also features coral reefs, lagoons, seamounts, and submerged banks. It is one of the world’s largest marine protected areas. There is quite an extensive range of habitats here, including deepwater habitats. Due largely to the area’s isolation, there is a high occurrence of endemic species. The area is home to many threatened and endangered species as well.
Two of the islands, Makumanamana and Nihoa, are home to archaeological remains of pre-European settlement. Some of these sites are 3,000 years old, including shrines and stone figures. These archaeological finds tie the Hawaiian culture to both Tahiti and the Marquesas.
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Papahanaumokuakea Gallery
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