Aloha! Welcome to Hā‘ena, a small land division on the northwest corner of the Island of Kaua‘i, in the Hawaiian chain. A place of stunning beauty and rich in Hawaiian tradition, Hā‘ena rests between the end of the paved road and the beginning of an 11-mile footpath into the remote and stunning Na Pali coast of Kaua‘i.

Pacific Worlds welcomes you to explore this beautiful place through a series of ten thematic topics or "chapters." Within each of these, you will find short, focused sections exploring particular aspects within that theme. Provided also are bibliographies and links to external sites that will teach you more about the topics discussed. If you are unfamiliar with Pacific Worlds, you might want to read our "About" page to familiarize yourself with ways you can use this project.

This revision and expansion of the original Hā‘ena website was funded by the United States Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, through the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. It was done in partnership with the Hui Maka‘āinana o Makana, Limahuli Gardens, and the Hanalei Watershed Hui.

Before you begin, use this home page to familiarize yourself with basic geographic information about Hā‘ena:

Our Guides
Meet the community members who will guide our journey at Hā‘ena. Each of these people offers distinct and valuable insights into the different faces of Hā‘ena, past and present.

Location
Familiarize yourself with the location of Kaua‘i within the Hawaiian Islands, and find the location of Hā‘ena within the Island of Kaua‘i.

Orientation
From the mountains to the sea, this section provides orientation to the major physical, spatial, organizational, and cultural features of Hā‘ena ahupua‘a. Go here to get the lay of the land before you arrive.

Getting Here
Describes the journey involved in reaching Hā‘ena today, starting with landing at Līhu‘e airport. This gives a sense of the relative location of Hā‘ena within the Island of Kaua‘i.