Maui Strong

Image: Jon Neidert

[Scroll down for August 2024 Update}

Doubtless you know the sad news from Maui. The phrase utter devastation has been overused to breaking. But that’s pretty much it: Utter devastation  --  and devastating heartbreak. 

Most of the world knows Lahaina Town as a quaint, delightful tourist mecca. But Lahaina was home for over 12,000 Kama'aina, many of whom worked as backbone for the “hospitality” (tourist) industry. It was also once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and has been witness to — and survivor of — wave upon wave of quasi-colonial stressors relentlessly seeking to extract, not plant: to earn, not invest. In many ways, Lahaina holds the historical, cultural Braveheart of Aloha. 

With the exception of over 100 lost souls (and counting), Lahaina’s amazing people are still here. But everything else is leveled: businesses, cultural and historical artifacts, homes, too many beloved pets — now nothing but ash. 

Upcountry also suffered grievous losses in the (relatively) smaller wildfires during the same period. Although the rest of the island  —  including the Becker burg  — was physically untouched, the ripples of dislocation and disruption (along with waves of grief, confusion, and anger) have quickly engulfed us all.

Anyone who's moved to help can visit  MauiNuiStrong for some ideas. From my local vantage point, emergency and short-term goods and supplies appear well stocked, thanks to the generosity of all. But now the real work begins: clean-up: rebuilding: somehow reconstituting a new Lahaina while fending off the vultures.

With that in mind, you might especially consider local, grassroots groups who, long after the alphabet agencies decamp, will be on the front lines for the long haul. The Maui United Way (not the National United Way!) is just one for your consideration.

Note to potential visitors: all other areas of the island are most definitely ‘open for business'  and rely on your spending to survive.

And if you do visit, perhaps you'll consider donating some of your time in Paradise to one of the many restoration activities and projects available to vacationers.

Mahalo Nui Loa

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Update August 2024

“Lahaina” One Year After 

It’s a year since wildfires leveled the community of Lahaina, Maui, killing 102 people. At least 2,200 structures were reduced to ash: businesses, shops, historical sites, apartments, multigenerational homes. An estimated 8,000 people lost shelter, along with every other earthly possession — jobs, clothes, keepsakes, furnishings, heirlooms, documents, pets. Over 3,000 students were without schools. Expanding waves of disruption, grief, and loss widened to engulf the whole island, and beyond.

I’d like to say that various governments and agencies stepped up to effectively and efficiently re-home the displaced and stand up the town again. 

I’d like to say that. 

[John Oliver’s recent episode touches on but a few of the issues here] 

On the other hand, the people of Maui Nui have been nothing short of astounding — from the very first hour up until today — creating collectives, organizations, and projects that offer substantive support and immediate community solutions. Perhaps the most dispiriting aspect of this year has been watching how many of these people-powered projects are slowed or obstructed by sclerotic bureaucracies and/or the usual bigwig and corporate interests. [:-{  

Still, these are resourceful, resilient folks — and fundamentally optimistic at heart. Matt’s reflection on his 2021 visit rhymes with this vibe (below). That said, it's haunting to think that Matt's first trip will be his last; Lahaina is somehow “Lahaina” now, as whatever comes next, the only place we’ve ever known is consigned to memory.

Matthew’s Thoughts: 

Just over a year ago, fire tore through the town of Lahaina, on the west side of Maui, claiming over 100 lives and reducing much of the historic town to rubble. Among the many losses was the iconic banyan tree in Lahaina’s park, which had just celebrated its 150th anniversary. When my family visited Maui in 2021, I spent an enjoyable afternoon sitting under that very tree, thinking about that stanza from the title track of Aja. It was a place that embodied serenity and history, but a year ago it was engulfed in flames, consumed in the conflagration, and partially reduced to charred remains. The tree, like the town itself, faced an uncertain future.

Remarkably, despite the intense flames that charred its branches and scorched its trunk, the banyan tree has begun to show signs of life. Much like Lahaina’s determined effort to rise like a proverbial phoenix from the literal ashes, the tree’s new growth is a testament to the unyielding spirit of this community. Arborists and volunteers have worked tirelessly, nurturing the tree with water and nutrients, hopeful that it will fully recover in time. The banyan’s revival mirrors the town’s own journey—a slow but steady rise from devastation, embodying the undeterred resilience of a place and its people who refuse to be broken. As new leaves sprout from the charred branches, Lahaina and its banyan may never be what they once were, but are well on their way to whatever they will become.

The tree when I visited.                       

The tree and vicinity just after the fire.