Quote:
Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots
Why isn't the island of Niihau part of the islands listed for city data?
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What list do you mean, or where do you expect it listed? If you're referring to sub-forums, those mostly follow the county divisions, so Ni'ihau would fall under Kaua'i, just as Moloka'i, Lana'i, and Kaho'olawe would fall under Maui.
If you're looking for the "city data" (aka census data) about Ni'ihau, you have to go to city-data.com (not /forums) and there type Ni'ihau in the search box. Then you will find it:
http://www.city-data.com/city/Niihau-Hawaii.html
Interesting numbers:
- 172 inhabitants (I thought is was closer to 120)
- Average age 26, so I'm guessing lots of kids (but I can't find age distribution info)
- 66% Hawaiian, 15% Asian (surprisingly) and 2 Caucasians (the owners I assume)
- Median household income of less than $35K
- But cost of living index is 97% of the US average (not much to buy I imagine)
Quote:
Originally Posted by KaraBenNemsi
Or Midway island.
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Midway island is not part of the State of Hawaii. It is administered directly by the US federal gov't, originally by the US Navy as a strategic base, now by the Dept. of the Interior as a wildlife refuge. All other emergent islands of the NW Hawaiian islands belong to the state of Hawaii, administratively attached to the city and county of Honolulu.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hotzcatz
Actually, how much internet coverage does the island of Niihau have? They've got houses and dirt roads and cars, therefor there must be some sort of fuel delivery of some type there. Tin roofing comes from somewhere. As well as the trucks themselves. Is there cell coverage? Internet? Many computers at all? There's not a lot on Niihau, how do the folks there get by? What about medical and dental care? How do they get enough money to cover whatever bills they have? Do they have enough to visit other islands? Is there a landing strip on Niihau or does everything come and go by boat? Just because the whole island is privately owned, it doesn't make the place feudal or anything does it?
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Finally some interesting questions, I'm no expert, but here is what I've gathered so far:
The island does not have electric or telephone or cable TV service, so no way to have Internet "coverage." I imagine people could have have generators or solar and batteries and could run computers with satellite internet if desired, but frankly doubt if they bother to. So cell coverage would be the only way, and I could be wrong, but I haven't heard of any cell towers over there--and 17 miles is too far for reliable coverage from a Kaua'i tower. Then again, there are small cell boosters you can install on a pole, so maybe they do that now. This is one area where technology is moving fast, and I admit I don't know the current situation.
The military does lease and run some antennas on the island, but I assume they are for PMRF operations and don't provide comms to the island--but maybe they could.
They do have dirt roads--though I wonder if they are even graded or bedded--and I imagine they have a truck or two for ranch work, but last I heard most people walked, rode bicycles, or went by horseback. I imagine if motorized transport becomes common, it would be more the ATV quad type than any type of car.
The Robinson family that owns the island also owns a boat for transport to and from the island. I've heard it described as a "WW2-era launch" so I imagine it can ferry vehicles and any building supplies as needed. Since the island is still a working ranch, I imagine it also carries cattle. I don't know how often it crosses, I'd guess once a week or more when needed for ranch work.
Residents are free to come and go to the island on the boat, and the nearest towns on Kauai, Kekaha and Waimea, have sizable Ni'ihau populations. It seems like the families sort of live on both, some choosing to put their kids in a Kaua'i school (there is a Hawaiian language charter school in Kekaha), and perhaps moving back and forth seasonally with available work.
I imagine there is some basic first aid on Ni'ihau, but any real medical issues needs to be treated on Kaua'i--there is a hospital and emergency room in Waimea town. So residents would take the boat across for medical or dental office visits. For emergencies, the owners purchased a helicopter, and they run tours to the island to help pay for its upkeep. I do not believe there is a landing strip for small aircraft.
The state dept of education does run a school there, and it seems to be a success: that city-data link says all adults have high-school diplomas (but none have college degrees). Last I heard about it was 8-10 years ago when they installed solar electricity so the school could have refrigerators for the milk and computers in the classroom. I imagine it must also have some communications system. It's rather interesting to think that although, by what I've heard, the population chooses to live a life without most modern amenities, the school is intent on offering exactly the same facilities and opportunities as on the other islands. Seems laudable, but perhaps misguided.
As for jobs, I agree that it is essentially a plantation/company town. The landowner runs the ranch and the only work for people living there is on the ranch. To the owner's credit, it appears he runs the ranch more as a subsistence activity for the residents because the land is too dry to be profitable. I imagine that the residents also fish, raise animals, and grow produce to feed themselves--and that is perhaps where their Hawaiian traditions serve them best in being independent of commercial supplies and a market economy.
So while the island is private and sort of run as a benevolent estate, the residents are free to come and go (outsiders are not). The system isn't perfect, but those that live there don't seem to be deserting, and it even seems to be growing. It is certainly the only place in Hawaii where the Hawaiian language and much of the culture is the primary one.
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