Imagine strolling through the streets on an island where the heart of the town is merely a mile long, the roadways are just two lanes with no stop lights, Cooke Pine trees standing tall, and where everyone waves and smiles as they pass you by. Grandma and grandpa pushing a stroller while walking with the older grandchildren to take them to school, and aunties and uncles taking their nieces and nephews along with their own children to the local park. This is the real life for many of us on the island of Lana’i.
Lana’i was once the largest pineapple plantation in the world, producing 75% of the world’s pineapples. Nearly the entire island of Lānaʻi was purchased by James Dole in 1922, transforming it into the world’s largest pineapple plantation – covering over 20,000 acres, founding the nickname the “Pineapple Isle.” The plantation operations lasted for 70 years, before closing in 1992 as the agricultural industry shifted overseas.
The pineapple era on Lana’i employed thousands of immigrants from around the world, who moved to Lana’i to work in the fields, creating a deeply rooted, tight-knit, multicultural community. They came from Japan, the Philippines, Korea, and Portugal, along with China and Puerto Rico. In order to keep up with the population growth, Mr. Dole built up the islands’ plantation housing, planning it with orderly, wooden cottages, “Hawaiian Plantation Style” character with raised foundations, metal roof and verandas. The workers were housed in community blocks by ethnicity and language, an early strategy of labor camps during the plantation growth around the world. Lana’i City was built up, and over the years, from the transition of plantation to tourism and hospitality, the island continues to thrive as a diverse and multigenerational community, with new generations yearning to make Lana’i their home.
Each ethnicity brings strong traditions centered on respect for elders, shared responsibility, and the importance of family unity. In Filipino households, it is common for grandparents to help raise grandchildren while parents’ work. Japanese families often emphasize honoring and caring for aging parents. Kosraen families value close kinship networks and mutual support. Native Hawaiian culture is deeply rooted in ‘ohana – the belief that family extends beyond immediate relatives and that caring for one another is a shared kuleana or responsibility.
Multigenerational housing has long been a way of life in small island communities, and on Lana’i, it continues to play an important role in shaping family life and community stability. With a population of approximately 3,000 residents, Lana’i offers a close-knit environment where neighbors know one another, family ties run deep and we are always offering to help when help is needed. In a place where resources are limited and the cost of living in Hawaii remains among the highest in the nation, living under one roof with multiple generations is not only practical but meaningful.
The high cost of living in Hawaii significantly impacts daily life on Lana’i. Groceries, utilities, transportation, and housing costs are all elevated due to the islands’ remote location and reliance on imported goods, on a barge that arrives just once a week. For many families, maintaining a single-income household is an unrealistic reality. It is common for parents to work two jobs just to make ends meet, balancing long hours with the responsibilities of raising children and supporting aging relatives. In this environment, multigenerational living becomes a practical solution to financial strain. By sharing housing expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, electricity, water, and food costs, families can reduce their overall financial burden.
Beyond financial savings, children raised in multigenerational homes often develop a strong sense of identity and responsibility. They grow up witnessing cooperation between family members, learning firsthand about hard work, sacrifice and respect. Elders in turn remain active participants in family life, sharing wisdom and stories that keep cultural traditions alive. This continuity strengthens the broader community, as values taught at home ripple outward into schools, workplaces and civic life. When the children from Lana’i graduate from high school, they pursue their college paths either on the outer islands, or on the mainland, which can be costly, thus, living with family members allows the parents to save for the affordability of higher education.
In Lana’i, multigenerational housing represents more than a living arrangement; it is a reflection of the island’s character. Rooted in diverse cultural traditions and shaped by the realities of Hawaii’s high cost of living, this way of life demonstrates resilience, unity and love. For many of the islands’ residents, living together across generations ensures that family values of togetherness remain strong – sustaining not only individual households but the entire community for years to come.
Charity Texeira Figuerres has dedicated a decade in nurturing and building strong and trusted relationships in the advancing of the credit union movement on the island of Lana’i. Fourth-generation on the island, she has devoted 32 years of service both professionally and personally through volunteer work, alongside her husband, raising her children and grandchildren.