Kalihi is a neighborhood of

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

on the

island An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...

Oʻahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...

Hawaiʻi Hawaii ( ; ) is an island state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only state not on the North American mainland, th ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Split by

Likelike Highway Route 63 is a state highway on the island of Oahu in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States, that is one of three main highways passing through the Koolau mountain. __TOC__ Route description The highway passes through the Wilson Tunnel, an ...

(Route 63), it is flanked by Liliha,

Chinatown Chinatown ( zh, t=唐人街) is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, O ...

, and

Downtown Honolulu Downtown Honolulu is the current historic, economic, and governmental center of Honolulu, the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is bounded by Nuuanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the n ...

to the east and Mapunapuna,

Moanalua Moanalua is a valley, a stream, an ahupuaa, and a residential neighborhood in Honolulu, Hawaii. The valley extends inland from behind Āliapaakai crater (Salt Lake) to the crest of the Koʻolau Range. Neighboring areas include Māpunapuna an ...

, and

Salt Lake A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per liter). I ...

to the west. Kalihi is the name of the ''

ahupuaʻa Ahupuaʻa () is a Hawaiian term for a large traditional socioeconomic, geologic, and climatic subdivision of land. It usually extends from the mountains to the sea and generally includes one or more complete watersheds and marine resources. Th ...

'' (ancient land division) between Kahauiki and

Kapālama Kapālama, now often called Pālama, is a neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii. It is often combined with the adjacent Kalihi and referred to as a single entity, Kalihi–Pālama. History The name comes from ''ka pā lama'' in the Hawaiian languag ...

in the Kona (now Honolulu) district of Oʻahu. The ahupuaʻa consists of Kalihi Uka, Kalihi Waena, and Kalihi Kai. Historically, Kalihi Kai was the site of the former Leprosy Receiving Station, where those suspected of

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

were examined prior to treatment or being sent to

Kalaupapa Kalaupapa () is a small unincorporated community and Hawaiian home land on the island of Molokai, within Kalawao County in the U.S. state of Hawaii. In 1866, during the reign of Kamehameha V, the Hawaii legislature passed a law that resul ...

on the island of Molokaʻi. Kalihi was also known for its fishponds – ʻĀpili, Pahouiki, Pahounui, ʻAuiki, and Ananoho – near the present Sand Island Access Road (Route 64) which have since all been filled in. The harbormaster of

Kamehameha I Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kauʻi Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; to May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii ...

, Captain Alexander Adams, maintained a residence near the ʻĀpili pond. The neighborhood's name comes from ''ka lihi'' which means "the edge" in the

Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a critically endangered Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family, originating in and native to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the native language of the Hawaiian people. Hawaiian, along with English, is an offi ...

, and was used for districts on other islands as well. Located at , it was thought to be named by Prince Lot (the future King

Kamehameha V Kamehameha V (Lota Kapuāiwa Kalanimakua Aliʻiōlani Kalanikupuapaʻīkalaninui; December 11, 1830 – December 11, 1872), reigned as the fifth monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipaʻa": immovable, firm, s ...

) in 1856. Kalihi Valley has been carved by Kalihi Stream; it is narrow and steep in its upper reaches (with source around , but widens out to flatlands as it approaches

Honolulu Harbor Honolulu Harbor, also called ''Kulolia'' and ''Ke Awa O Kou'' and the Port of Honolulu, is the principal seaport of Honolulu, Hawaii, Honolulu and the Hawaii, State of Hawaii in the United States. From the harbor, the Honolulu County, Hawaii, City ...

, with its mouth at . The lower valley has been a residential area for a considerable time and is home to numerous tracts of older houses. It becomes commercial and maritime close to the water. Kalihi is famous for being the residence of Pele's family, including her sister, mother, and the wife of Wakea.

Government and infrastructure

The

Hawaii Department of Public Safety The Hawaii Department of Public Safety was a department within the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was headquartered in the 919 Ala Moana Boulevard building in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time of its deactivation, ...

operates the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCC), the sole short-term incarceration and pretrial jail, on a plot in Kalihi.Thompson, David.
Field Guide: Honolulu Behind Bars

Archive
. ''

''. July 9, 2012. Retrieved on February 7, 2016.

Education

The

Hawaii Department of Education The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE, ) is a statewide public education system in the United States. The school district can be thought of as analogous to the school districts of other cities and communities in the United States, ...

operates public schools in the area, including Kalihi Elementary, Kalihi Waena Elementary, Kalihi Uka Elementary, Kalihi Kai Elementary, Dole Middle School, Kapalama Elementary School, King David Kalakaua Middle School,

Farrington High School Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School is a public secondary school (grades 9-12) located in the Kalihi district of Honolulu on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The school is part of the Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani Complex Area of the Honolulu ...

, and

Damien Memorial School Damien Memorial School is a private Roman Catholic preparatory school for boys and girls in grades 6–12 in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, the school is sponsored by the Congregation o ...

. At the southern edge of the district lie the private

Kamehameha Schools Kamehameha Schools, formerly called Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE), is a private school system in Hawaii established by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, under the terms of the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who was a formal membe ...

campus and the Bernice P. Bishop Museum.

People

Tulsi Gabbard Tulsi Gabbard (; born April 12, 1981) is an American politician and military officer serving as the director of National Intelligence, director of national intelligence (DNI) since 2025. She has held the rank of Lieutenant colonel (United Stat ...

, politician *

Sonny Ganaden Ernesto Montemayor "Sonny" Ganaden is an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives' 30th district from 2020 to 2024. Background and education Ernesto Montemayor Ganaden is a second generat ...

, politician *

Mufi Hannemann Muliufi Francis Hannemann (born July 16, 1954) is an American politician, businessman, and non-profit executive. He was elected twice as Mayor of Honolulu in 2004 and 2008. Hannemann has served as a special assistant in Washington, D.C., with t ...

, politician and businessman *

Marist Liufau Marist Lealofi Liufau (born February 9, 2001) is an American professional football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Early life Liufau attended ...

, American football player *

The Brothers Cazimero The Brothers Cazimero were a Hawaiian musical duo made up of Robert Cazimero on bass and Roland Cazimero on twelve string guitar. Robert also played piano as a solo musician. The Cazimeros got their start during the Hawaiian Renaissance with uk ...

, music duo *

Guy Kawasaki Guy Takeo Kawasaki (born August 30, 1954) is an American marketing specialist, author, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist. He was one of the Apple employees originally responsible for marketing their Macintosh computer line in 1984. He popul ...

, American marketing specialist, author, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist

References

{{Honolulu Neighborhoods in Honolulu