Where Nature and Culture are One
On July 30, 2010 at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s(UNESCO) 34th World Heritage Convention in Brasilia, Brazil, Papahānaumokuākea became only the 28th Mixed World Heritage site in the world.
It was given the “mixed” designation because of its combination of natural and cultural features along with it’s importance in Native Hawaiian culture.
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is the only mixed natural and cultural UNESCO World Heritage site in the United States.
Natural Beauty
The small islands, reefs, and shoals of the NWHI represent the longest, clearest, and oldest example of island formation and atoll evolution in the world, spanning 28 million years. The islands and marine environment are also home to millions of seabirds and abundant marine life.
Cultural Importance
What really distinguishes the NWHI from the dozens of other natural World Heritage sites around the globe is the overwhelming cultural significance that the region holds for the Native Hawaiian people.
Papahānaumokuākea is known as one of the last “places of abundance” where people can experience an intact and abundant natural world. The islands were frequented by Native Hawaiians for centuries, with the geography and place names being interwoven into geneology, stories and religion.