Explorers
When Honolulu harbor was discovered as a safe anchorage with a passage through the reef cut by Nu‘uanu stream, this location became the major site of interaction between foreigners and Hawaiians. Thus Kamehameha settled here after conquering O‘ahu.

Missionaries
Honolulu was the seat of the first company of missionaries from New England. Here, the missionaries focused their energies on influencing the ruling families of the islands, ultimately bringing about a major transformation of culture.

Mahele ("Colony")
The land claims filed by people residing in Nu‘uanu are many. Lists are presented by ‘ili, and include names of applicants, land commission award (LCAW) numbers, and whether or not the claims were awarded. Courtesy of the Waihona ‘Aina website. This page provides maps of the kuleana awarded in central Nu‘uanu. The Honolulu area is so dense with information that it is not considered here, and the upper portion of the valley--Luakaha--is Crown lands.

Society
Nu‘uanu was the home of the Ruling Chiefs and Honolulu was the seat of government. This section looks at reports of travelers and the census records of the early missionaries to this area.

Aftermath of the Mahele
With the privatization of land and the push of foreigners to acquire property in Nu‘uanu, the landscape begins to change quickly in Nu‘uanu. The fate of "Luakaha" as the property adjacent to Kaniakapupu shows how foreigners and Hawaiians managed things differently.