# Kalaupapa Tours Pause After Aunty Meli's Passing

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/honolulu-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7567443/kalaupapa-tours-pause-after-aunty-meli-s-passing
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/honolulu-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7567443/kalaupapa-tours-pause-after-aunty-meli-s-passing.md
Podcast: [Honolulu News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!](https://stenobird.com/podcast/honolulu-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7567443)
Published: 2026-06-16T19:03:46+00:00
Episode link: https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/91cb50a8-0eaf-4488-83df-a318965ddf51.mp3
Audio file: https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/91cb50a8-0eaf-4488-83df-a318965ddf51.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/honolulu-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7567443/episodes/kalaupapa-tours-pause-after-aunty-meli-s-passing
Duration seconds: 85

## Resource

Kalaupapa National Historical Park has paused all tours following the passing of Aunty Meli Watanuki, one of its last living patients and founder of Kalaupapa Saints Tours. Her estate requested a temporary halt, leading to refunds for existing reservations and no tours currently available. Aunty Meli played a pivotal role in reviving visitor access after COVID, aiming to educate the public about the peninsula’s history and the lives of the 8,000 Hawaiians sent there. Under federal law, only living Kalaupapa patients can own tour companies, making her legacy the last of its kind for now. The National Park Service is exploring new ways for visitors to connect with the site’s story while honoring its past. Support the show: Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/1c84839023d727b1

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