The History and Impact of Plantations in Hawaii

Hawaii has a rich and diverse history, with plantation agriculture playing a significant role, particularly in sugar and pineapple industries. From the late 1700s to the late 20th century, these plantations were central to the economic and cultural landscape of the islands. Today, many former plantation lands have been repurposed for other agricultural uses, tourism, or conservation.

Sugar Plantations

Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii in the late 1700s, leading to the development of large-scale sugar plantations in the 19th century. At their peak, numerous sugar plantations operated across the islands, with significant operations on Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island. However, due to various economic factors, the last sugar plantation, the Hawaiian Commercial Sugar Company, closed in 2016.

Pineapple Plantations

Pineapple farming also became prominent in Hawaii in the early 20th century, with major players like Dole and Del Monte establishing large plantations. While pineapple production has seen a significant decline, some plantations still exist, primarily for tourism and agriculture.

The Reality of Plantations in Hawaii

While Hawaii never had slavery, the sugar plantations relied on cheap imported labor from places like Madeira and many parts of Asia. These laborers lived in plantation company towns with company housing and low pay. Although the conditions varied, many found some comfort in the decent housing, which often included hospitals, stores, gyms, and even swimming pools and tennis courts. Laborers were often segregated by place of origin, helping them maintain a sense of community and cultural identity.

Factors Leading to the Decline of Plantations

The Hawaiian sugar industry expanded significantly after the Civil War, allowing Hawaii to compete in the sugar market. However, with the end of wartime demand, the industry faced challenges. The Board of Immigration was established in 1866 to recruit plantation workers. Both sides of the author's family worked on these plantations, with one grandfather serving as a field foreman in the 1930s.

The decline of the sugar industry was due to several factors, including the high cost of labor, energy, and transportation. In addition, government subsidies for cheaper foreign sugar only prolonged the inevitable. The transition to tourism and the need for more land for resort development further accelerated the decline of the sugar industry. By 1965, the father of the author recalled that Hawaii had the highest-paid farmer workers on earth, but this couldn't be sustained.

Other agricultural industries such as pineapple farming faced similar challenges. Today, papayas and mangoes are largely grown on family farms for local consumption, while some family farms still grow coffee on the Big Island. The Macadamia nut industry, however, remains more resilient, with Hawaii still being a leading exporter of these nuts due to the unique conditions and mature trees.

Efforts to grow marijuana for export have been proposed by some local politicians, but the author doubts the practicality of such ventures. This excellent article provides a detailed analysis of the sugar industry in Hawaii, highlighting the complex factors that led to its decline and the ongoing challenges facing the agricultural sector in Hawaii.

Keywords: Hawaii plantations, sugar industry, pineapple farming

This excellent article makes a deep dive into sugar in Hawaii: