Visiting Lahaina After the Fires

Supporting Maui's Recovery with Aloha

Written by a Maui Local

He Mele No Lāhainā (A Song for Lahaina)

Aloha mai kākou,

My name is Jade Kawanui, and I write this not just as content for our website, but as a daughter of Maui. To me, Lahaina has never been just a destination. It is a part of my moʻokūʻauhau, my genealogy. I carry memories of this place in my bones. The scent of plumeria and salt air mingling on Front Street. The way the late afternoon sun, the lā hainā or "cruel sun" that gave the town its name, would cast long shadows from the West Maui Mountains. I remember sitting in the shade of the great Banyan Tree, its sprawling branches like the arms of a beloved elder, listening to my kūpuna share stories of a time when kings and queens walked this very land.

On August 8, 2023, a wound was seared onto the heart of Maui. The wildfires that swept through Lahaina took lives, homes, and centuries of history, leaving a profound loss that is felt by generations of our people. The smoke has cleared, but the grief remains, a quiet, sacred presence that now permeates this land.

In the wake of this tragedy, we have been asked, "Should we still come to Maui?" The answer, from a community whose lifeblood is intertwined with the spirit of hospitality, is a heartfelt yes. But it is a yes that comes with a request.

Mālama and Kuleana: Our Guiding Principles

In our culture, we are guided by two core principles: mālama and kuleana. Mālama means to care for, to protect, to tend to with reverence. Kuleana is both a privilege and a responsibility. To visit Maui now, especially West Maui, is to accept the kuleana of traveling with intention, compassion, and a deep commitment to mālama our people and our ʻāina as they heal. Your visit is not just a vacation. It is an act of support, a testament to the enduring spirit of Lahaina Strong.

This article is offered in the spirit of aloha, to help you become a part of our recovery, to show you how to walk softly on this land and leave it better for your presence.