The History of Leprosy Hidden on Beautiful Islands

The beautiful islands that dot the Mediterranean Sea and those of perpetual summer in the south may be ideal resort spots to enjoy a quiet vacation away from the hustle and bustle of life. But the sea that creates this calm has sometimes been a means of exclusion and quarantine, much like barbed wire and concrete walls.

For centuries until medicine to treat leprosy became available, those affected by leprosy were shunned and feared by society. In many countries and regions, they were exiled from civilization, forced to live on isolated islands, where in some cases, there were no facilities for daily living.

A number of islands have been leprosy colonies: MolokaI Island in Hawaii, Spinalonga Island in Greece, several islands in the Aegean Sea, Darcy Island in Canada, Peel Island in Australia, Makogai in Fiji, Sorokdo in South Korea, Da qin Island off the southern coast of China, and Pulau Jerejak in Malaysia. These are just a few of the many islands around the world that were quarantine sites. Robben Island in South Africa, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, was first a leprosy colony before becoming a prison for political prisoners who opposed apartheid in the late twentieth century. There was also a leprosy colony on Easter Island, or Isla de Pascua, an island off the coast of Chile known for its Moai statues.

Malta, an island located near the center of the Mediterranean Sea, flourished as a hub of maritime activity for over 7,000 years. Today, it is a popular tourist destination in Europe. According to historical records, there were leprosy patients living on the island in the 17th century. From the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, when Malta was part of the British Empire, leprosy colonies were established to quarantine those affected by leprosy as was the practice in other areas of British rule.

In the late 20th century, Malta eliminated leprosy. We know the name of Tal Ferha Estate where those who recovered lived, but when I visited to the island, I could only see the remains of the wall and there appeared to be a little documentation. Leprosy is a part of Maltas history, but it is fading from memory.

Culion Island in the Philippines is a small island with a land area of approximately 390 square kilometers (150 square miles), about two-thirds the area of the island of Guam. The island was designated as a leprosarium by the United States which governed the Philippines, and in 1906, the first group of patients, consisting of 370 people, was sent from Cebu Island to Culion Island, which became known as the Island of No Return or Island of the Living Dead. In the 1930s, the island was home to about 7,000 people affected by leprosy, making it the worlds largest island leprosy colony. Although leprosy is not a fatal disease, at times, more than a thousand residents died of malaria or other diseases in one year.

Culion Islands history as a leprosarium ended in 1995. The island was officially recognized as a municipality, and Hilarion Guia, who had been forcibly sent to Culion as a boy after developing leprosy, was elected the first mayor. Today, the island with a population of about 20,000 is a vibrant community and home to those who were affected by leprosy and their family members, those who came as medical personnel and their children and grandchildren, as well as newcomers. Culion Island has overcome its history as the Island of No Return, and is redefining itself as the Island of Hope.

The Republic of Palau, a small island nation with a population of about 20,000, is a chain of many islands in Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean. Even a nation of this size felt it necessary to designate one island as a leprosy colony. Known under Japanese colonial rule as Raibyo Shima or Leprosy Island, the islands official name is Ngerur Island. In 1931, on an area less than 0.02 square kilometers, a facility was established and the first group of 18 residents was accepted for treatment, but it is not known how long it continued operation.

Regardless of the island or the institution, those affected by leprosy were forced to live hard lives and face discrimination. Few records and documentary materials exist for most locations. Few sites are preserved. And only some witnesses are alive to tell their story.

Among advocates for the rights of leprosy-affected people, there are some who consider it unnecessary to preserve the history of leprosy in order to create a new future. I believe that it is by documenting the history of leprosy and preserving its fading heritage that we learn the strength and weakness of human beings and ultimately what it means to be human.