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 ...

of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi,

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), 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 to the east and Mapunapuna, Moanalua, 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'' (ancient land division) between Kahauiki and Kapālama 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 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, 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, 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 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, and Damien Memorial School. At the southern edge of the district lie the private Kamehameha Schools 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, politician * Mufi Hannemann, politician and businessman * Marist Liufau, American football player * The Brothers Cazimero, music duo * Guy Kawasaki, American marketing specialist, author, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist

References

{{Honolulu Neighborhoods in Honolulu