COME AWAY WITH ME

Map of locations mentioned in this blog, and the roads we traveled on.

While on Maui, we did our level best to see most of the island, but never made it around to Hana. In this blog, I'll be focusing on Lahaina, Kihei, Kula and Wailuku. I hope you enjoy learning a bit about Maui. Other then the fact I'd like to share with you what I learned, I'd like to be able to go back and read about what my brain will eventually forget. grin

The thing I found most fascinating about Maui is the vastly different topographies and temperature ranges one can experience while on the island. At sea level, during the month of June, it can get rather warm, though there seems to be a constant wind blowing. Driving around the west end of the island you can experience what looks like driving through Arizona, with the landscape dotted with mesquite bushes and arid looking land, then.... before you know it, you round a bend and you're in a tropical jungle of sorts. Quite splendid and inspiring.

Drive up into the up-country (elevation 3000-6000 ft.) and the temperature drops to a heavenly 70-ish degrees, and the arid ground turns to soil covered in every shade of green possible, hosting lavender fields, eucalyptus forests, jacarandas, and a multitude of tropical and not so tropical flora and fauna.

DID YOU KNOW?

All of Maui's beaches are "public". This is quite awesome, actually. Considering there are now legions of very swanky resorts, private estates, homes and condos dotting the shoreline in Maui, they're required to keep their beaches accessible to the general public. Many condos and resorts have taken this policy a step further in the kinder direction, by paving pedestrian paths to the beach, and installing fresh water showers.

Farming on Maui: Sugar Cane (miles and miles of it), Coffee, Pineapple, Corn, Lavender (of many different varieties) and Taro. I should think they also grow coconuts, papaya, mangoes, and several varieties of bananas locally.

Maui Mythology:

How the islands came to be: The great fish-hook of Māui is called Manaiakalani; and it is baited with the wing of Hina's pet bird, the ʻalae. Māui is said to have created the Hawaiian Islands by tricking his brothers. He convinces them to take him out fishing, but catches his hook upon the ocean floor. He tells his brothers that he has caught a big fish, and tells them to paddle as hard as they can. His brothers paddle with all their might, and being intent with their effort, did not notice the Island rising behind them. Māui repeats this trick several times, creating the Hawaiian Islands

Maui Tames the Sun: Māui’s next feat is to stop the sun from moving so fast. His mother Hina complains that her kapa (bark cloth) is unable to dry because the days are so short. Māui climbs to the mountain Hale-a-ka-lā (house of the sun) and lassoes the sun’s rays as the sun comes up, using a rope made from his sister's hair (in some versions, her pubic hair)[1]. The sun pleads for life and agrees that the days shall be long in summer and short in winter (Pukui, Elbert, & Mookini 1974:36). In another version, Hina sends him to a big wiliwili tree where he finds his old blind grandmother cooking bananas and steals them one by one until she recognises him and agrees to help him. He sits by the trunk of the tree to rope the sun (Beckwith 1970:230). The Island of Maui and the constellation Māui's fishhook (known in the West as Scorpius) are named after this legend.

The Honu: (Green Sea Turtle) are featured in Hawaiian mythology, petroglyphs and as aumakua (personal family gods).

A WEE BIT OF MAUI HISTORY

300-500 A.D.
Polynesians from the South Pacific, probably the Marquesas Islands, begin migration to Hawai'i in double-hulled voyaging canoes. (Can you imagine paddling THAT far?)

1100-1300 A.D.
Tahitian explorers arrive, initiating a second wave of immigration; they subdue and enslave the more primitive inhabitants.

While we were in Maui I couldn't help but notice what a beautiful people the Hawai'ian's are, and very kind as well. Most of the Hawai'ians also have some fascinating tattoos!

1778-1779 A.D.

Captain James Cook, British commander of HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery, on his third Pacific exploration, sights Oahu and Kauai. Cook names the "Sandwich Islands" after the Earl of Sandwich, first lord of the admiralty.

On January 18th Cook spotted the faint purple silhouette of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The wind pushed them north to Kauai, the northernmost island, setting off a panic on land when fishermen spotted the lights of the boats gliding along in the darkness. Cook anchored in the languid Waimea Bay on January 20, arousing both curiosity and fear from the islanders who paddled out to the ships.

Cook wrote in his journal, “I have nowhere in this sea seen such a number of people assembled in one place; besides those in the canoes, all the shore of the bay was covered with people, and hundreds were swimming about the ship like shoals of fish.”

Cook was the first to chart the Sandwich (Hawai'ian) Islands

February 13, 1779: Captain James Cook was slain at water's edge at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii. (How dreadful!)

LAHAINA: (Cruel Sun)

Lahaina is one of Hawaii's oldest and most historic cities, located on the West side of Maui. Kamehameha I conquered Maui in 1894 and named Lahaina the capital of his new kingdom. It remained the capital of Hawaii until Kamehameha III moved it to Honolulu in 1840.

The first missionary arrived in Maui in 1823, and the missionary influences remain clearly visible in Lahaina.

As Western traders and seamen flocked to Maui, commercial growth expanded. Lahaina became a major port during the whaling era, and by the 1840s, hundreds of ships anchored there. However, the discovery of oil in 1850 spelled doom for the whaling industry.

As whaling declined, agriculture became the dominant industry in the Lahaina area. Sugar and later pineapple plantations flourished in West Maui.

Mark Twain wrote after a stay at the olde Pioneer Inn, "I went to Maui to stay a week and remained five. I never spent so pleasant a month before, or bade any place goodbye so regretfully. I have not once thought of business, or care or human toil or trouble or sorrow or weariness, and the memory of it will remain with me always."

Tony and I visited Lahaina a few times while on Maui, but only briefly, as it's a magnet for tourists. The town is generally packed from one end to the other, but we did take in some of the more interesting sights there, via our Grand Chariot (Cherokee).

Unfortunately we had just missed the annual INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CANOES in Lahaina, a festival which focuses on the traditional arts of Polynesia. Master carvers from nations across the Pacific come to Lahaina for the Festival, working together with Hawai'ian carvers, creating real canoes from wood logs. Must be a fantastic thing to watch.

Excerpted from mauicanoefest.com

In the Polynesian world all things are connected and nothing dies…things, people, they merely move through different dimensions. And so it is with the trees. Arriving from the upland forests they still retain their life force. Their soon-to-be transformation will be honored in ceremonies and rituals before work commences.

When most of the heavy work is done everyone settles into a rhythm. The sounds of the mallet, chisel and adze are now to heard. It is this part where the knowledge of the masters comes into play. Relying more on intuition, sight and feel they gradually coax their vision from the logs. The physical character of each wa’a has now emerged and for some, another dimension is about to be bestowed. This, the ‘uhane, encompasses the spiritual and metaphysical dimensions.

The curvilinear patterns on the Maori wa’a (canoe) symbolize the connection between tangaroa and mankind.

The Cook Island triangular patterns symbolize the interdependent nature of existence. Although stylistically different, their inspiration is drawn from the same archetypal wellspring. From ancient Polynesia and coursing through time it still remains a living spirit connecting the past with the present. Transformed and imbued with a new life force the wa’a maintain this continuum.

There is excitement when the wa’a are lined up on the beach and the carvers proudly show their canoes. Each wa’a is connected by a ti rope to a stake in the ground symbolizing the umbilical connection with land. A chant arises signifying the birth of the wa’a as each kahuna kalai wa’a severs the connection with land. For all those involved it is a silent and deeply emotional moment. Than the wa’a are raised, carried to the water and placed in the domain of kanaloa. Their transformation is now complete.

International Festival of Canoes
Maui's Signature Cultural Heritage Event
featuring the traditional arts of
Polynesia and the Pacific
Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii • May 10 - 24, 2008.

One of the most magnificent things to see in Lahaina is the massive Banyan Tree!

LAHAINA BANYAN TREE: Pictures don't do this tree justice.

While meandering through the maddening sun drenched crowds on the busy streets of little old Lahaina, it was simply impossible to find a vantage point that would produce the best photo of this tree. It spreads out to cover an entire city block! There were many standing around the tree, gazing up in amazement. Others were parked on benches surrounding the tree, wasting the day away, while others too a break from the ever present sun.

Growing up in South Florida I was very used to these larger type ficus trees, and grin every time I see a tiny version sitting in a garden pot, ready to brighten up the corner of a sun room. I have fond memories of a massive Banyan Tree growing in the local McDonald's picnic area. Many happy hours were spent climbing around in that tree.

The banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) came to Lahaina from India when it was only 8 feet tall. William O. Smith was Maui sheriff when he planted it in 1873 at a service marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of Lahaina's first Christian mission.

As the little town that was once the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom and the whaling capital of the world developed, the little tree grew and grew. It provided a leisurely setting where local sugar mill employees and pineapple workers could meet and conduct business.

It was also the scene of many a political rally, luau, dance, concert, festival and celebration. For years it shaded viewers at the elementary school's May Day festivities, whaling sprees and Aloha Week observances. Some residents still recall swinging Tarzan-like on the aerial roots (and being swatted with a rake by the caretaker).

Lahaina's banyan now has 12 major trunks of varying girth, besides the huge core of central trunks. It reaches upward to a height of about 50 feet and stretches outward over a 200-foot area, shading two-thirds of an acre on the almost 2 acres of land in the courthouse square.

HOLY INNOCENTS' EPISCOPAL CHURCH:
561 Front St., Lahaina

The Anglican Church in Hawai'i was formally established on November 30, 1862, in Honolulu. On December 14, 1862, Lahaina's first Anglican services were conducted at Hale Aloha by the Rt. Rev. Thomas Nettleship Staley, the first Bishop of Honolulu, using King Kamehameha IV's translation of the Book of Common Prayer.

The new mission first leased premises for its church (and Luaehu School for boys) from a ship's chandlery on the site where King Kamehameha III School now stands. The land on which the King Kamehameha III School now stands, was also where the young Princess Nahi'ena'ena once lived. Her house was towards the Oceanside, left facing the rectory yard. In 1874, a new church (and St. Cross School for girls) was built at the corner of Prison and Front Streets.

Today's Rectory and Church sites, acquired in 1908 and 1922, are rich in Hawaiian Historical significance. On these grounds, Hawai'i's last reigning monarch, Queen Lili'uokalani and her foster sister, Bernice Pauahi Bishop, lived as children in a large grass house. To the left of the Church and Rectory once stood Kamehameha III's palace. His sacred Island of Moku'ula is nearby, just across Front Street. It was once surrounded by the Mokuhinia river, today it is a park.

KIHEI, MAUI:

Kihei is located on the west side of Maui, and has been officially ranked as the second-fastest-growing community in the United States. With only a 2 lane road paralleling the beach, the constant and slow moving traffic must be an indicator that the previous statement is true! Fortunately, they've built a 4 lane divided highway on the back side of the strip, helping one get to the other end of the bay more quickly.

Kihei is where we went to access the internet, and find "affordable" places to eat, or do grocery shopping. There was also a Farmer's Market on the side of the road in Kihei that sold the most mouth watering Maui grown veges, tropical fruits, and especially the Maui Gold Pineapples! Beautiful beaches toward the southern end in particular lend themselves to water sports ranging from surfing to snorkeling to swimming - and everything in between. Views from the beaches are especially striking! The traffic can be a bit of a bear along the main drag, but whose in a hurry when on Maui?

Trinity By The Sea Episcopal Church
100 Kulanihakoi St., Kihei

While in Maui, Tony and I attended Trinity By-The-Sea. The church is quite interesting indeed. It's an open air church, sitting among the remaining wall of one of Maui's first mission churches. Surrounding the wall is a lush green variety of tropical flowers and trees.

The first Sunday we attended, they had a Lutheran pastor taking the service. After Tony heard they were presently vacant, he spoke with the Sr. Warden about taking the next Sunday service for them. The Sr. Warden was elated by the offer, and kindly agreed.

The church is located a couple of blocks off the main drag in Kihea. Because Maui doesn't seem to allow signage along the roads, it was a bit of a challenge the find the church.

KULA (located in the Up-Country on the eastern side of Haleakala Volcano)

As the drive was so beautiful and the temperatures quite lovely, it was always nice to visit the area of Kula. As seen from the condo we stayed in, there was also generally a blanket of misty clouds hanging over Kula as well. The stretch of road that leads through Kula is lined with an overwhelming amount of lush flowering shrubs, trees, vines and bushes. This is definately a place for gardeners! Kula is home to the "oh so fantastic" Lavender Farm. Not far beyond Kula is the Maui Winery, which we decided to pay a visit to. Along the way we discovered St. John's Episcopal Church.

St. John's Episcopal Church
8992 Kula Hwy., Kula

St. John's was founded in 1900 by a group of Chinese immigrants under the direction of The Reverend Shim Yin Chin. Father Shim served as educator, chatechist and news reporter to the Chinese farmers of Kula. In 1907, the present structure was finished and was used both as a church and a Chinese language school. In 1949 the Parish Hall was constructed. The building consisted of three former military buildings which were moved from the Puunene airstrip to the church grounds. Additional renovation to the church and parish hall took place in 1984, at which time the Oberlinger organ was installed.

On a side note: This little church sits perched above the bay, with an incredible view of the valley, Pacific Ocean and west side of Maui.

The Rev. Heather Mueller-Fitch has been Rector of St. John's since 1981. She is one of the first women ordained as priest in the Episcopal church, and the second woman ordained as an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Hawaii.

WAILUKU: (Bloody Waters)

"Home to Maui’s most famous Hawaiian rulers, site of Kamehameha’s decisive (and bloody) 1790 victory at Iao Valley, location of the 19th century Mission Station and birthplace of the mighty sugar industry, Wailuku illustrates the powerful influences which shaped the town, the island and the state."

The Good Shepherd Episcopal Church: Founded in 1866
2140 Main St., Wailuku

On our way back from the Iao Needle Valley, we came upon The Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in downtown Wailuku. So, we had to stop and find the priest. He was quite a pleasant man and knew who Tony was, though he'd never met him in person. As priests will do, they had to spend quite a bit of time "talking shop" during our short visit.