The magnitude of Lāhainā’s losses go even deeper when considering the town’s historical and cultural significance for Kanaka Maoli (Indigenous/Aboriginal Hawaiians). Lāhainā has been a center of political and spiritual power for hundreds of years, long before it was a tourist destination, or a plantation town, or a whaling port. The wetlands of Lele evolved over millennia, and for centuries Kanaka Maoli cultivated these spring-fed lands, planting breadfruit groves and taro fields, constructing fishponds to sustain a thriving population.
That history of abundance lives on through people like Ke‘eaumoku Kapu, who works tirelessly to share ancestral knowledge and to keep water flowing to natural ecosystems and family farms. The Lāhainā cultural center that Kapu stewarded was burned to the ground in the fire. Still, within a few days, he and his wife, Uʻilani, had organized a supply hub in a Lāhainā parking lot to tend to community members whom government efforts had not reached. He and other Lāhainā community leaders formed Nā‘ Ohana o Lele, a coalition working to assure that Kanaka Maoli are central to discussions about how to rebuild their community.
If you have visited Maui in the past, or plan to travel there in the future, know that you too have a responsibility to help rebuild—to give to this place. Below, three things you can do to contribute to the healing and regeneration.
Reconsider your vacation funds
Consider redirecting money you would have spent on a Maui vacation toward those who have lost everything. On Instagram, @lahaina_ohana_venmo highlights families you can support. Trustworthy non-profit organizations providing disaster relief include:
Learn the history
Platforms like Kanaeokana are a great resource to learn more about the history of Maui and Hawai‘i, and of the on-going struggles of Kanaka Maoli for justice and for water.
Listen
If you are set on traveling to Maui, start by asking “how can I help?” Ask local folks you encounter how they are doing. Ask how you can be supportive. Center the survivors, rather your own memories of Maui before the fires. Listen. Tourism in Hawaiʻi takes more than it gives, so strive for reciprocity.
Dr. Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua is a professor of Native Hawaiian and Indigenous politics at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Her research and writings focus on Hawaiian social movements, education, and futures-making. Her books include The Seeds We Planted, A Nation Rising, Nā Wāhine Koa, and The Value of Hawaiʻi series.
