HONOLULU (KHON2) - History shares that Maui was once the capital island, that it was here at the Pali Lookout where King Kamehameha conquered Oʻahu which was under Maui control at the time, and that Kamehameha himself connects back to Maui.
But as much as history shares, what does history teach?
One year after the devastating fire, Lāhainā is figuring that out as they rebuild.
Long before the whaling town and tourism hot spot as its more commonly known as, Lāhainā was known as Malu ʻUlu o Lele, the “shaded breadfruit grove of Lele.”
The abundance of agriculture and freshwater had sustained a population much larger than that in recent history.
“You know, Lāhainā was once the primary melting pot where everything commenced, especially when we talk about the capital Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, the constitutional monarchy that actually started here in Lāhainā,” says Keʻeaumoku Kapu of Nā ʻAikāne o Maui.
In 1962, nine different properties of importance were identified by the National Parks Service, including the Baldwin House, Hale Aloha, and the Courthouse.
“So, when you look at the courthouse. The courthouse was built by Kauikeaouli in 1847. It’s a Kingdom courthouse,” says Kapu.
“Later on, during the history of Lāhainā, to infuse that idea with all the commercial things that occurred the courthouse turned into the US post office. So, a lot of not-so-good things had happened in our town when it came to the identity and character of our history.”
The history of Lāhainā, however, extends past what was identified within the National Parks review.
One of those includes a constitution that King Kamehameha III wrote after a fishpond.
“That the Constitution of Kaluaʻehu is a small little fishpond,” says Kapu.
“Everybody is talking about the importance of bringing back Mokuʻula and Mokuhinia fishpond, but low and behold, there is a little fishpond called Kaluaʻehu, it was the fishpond that Kauikeaouli wrote in his constitution to protect the small minnows from being eaten from the big fish.”
Lāhainā dramatically changed once its water flow began to be diverted thanks to the self-interests of sugar plantations.
Ulu no longer grew, what was once green turned brown, and ancient fishponds began to disappear.
“There is a total of eight in town. Before there was only, I would say five that was known,” says Kapu.
“But now because of the commercial wells that have been burnt, we are starting to see the natural ability of our environment come back. It's boosting back within the area that was known as the ‘Venice of the Pacific’.”
When the wildfires occurred, only 23% of Maui’s waters were available for public community benefit.
Now, with what history has shared about Lāhainā, its community is hopeful for a brighter future.
“I tell everybody that Lāhainā is the beginning and the end, that everything started here. And now we are looking at the opportunity to bring all these important things back.”