Honoring the Stories of Lahaina and Maui

One year ago, our dear friends on Maui suffered a historic loss in the form of devastating wildfires. While the entire community continues to grieve and heal, people in Hawai‘i and around the world are committed to raising funds while keeping the Lahaina community at the center of restoration and rebuilding efforts.

As we approach the one-year remembrance of the fires, let’s continue to champion Maui voices, histories and lives. While coping with the grief around such a loss can feel impossible, we encourage everyone to seek out the stories of Maui, many of which can be found in the pages of local literature. This diverse collection of titles engages readers of all ages, from compelling story collections to thoughtful keiki reads to richly researched academic accounts.

Browse our recommendations below, continue reading more Maui stories and share your favorite titles with our staff at Da Shop either in store or on Instagram @dashophnl as we continue to hold the people of Maui in our hearts.

More coverage of Maui a year later

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Cane Fires

by Kaui Philpotts

In her remarkable fiction debut, author Kaui Philpotts weaves together eight connected stories, each one centering the island of Maui and its sugar and pineapple plantation-era history. Set in the years following World War II, the characters in Cane Fires include mothers, fathers, children, young war brides and plantation workers all converging on Maui as they wrestle with societal, political and familial issues that are at once of the past and deeply of our time. Ultimately, it is a powerful and emotional homage to one of the most charged eras of Maui’s modern history.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Moku‘ula: Maui’s Sacred Island

by P. Christiaan Klieger

Moku‘ula has been on many people’s minds since the Aug. 8 fires. The 1-acre island of West Maui boasts a rich and storied history, which is compellingly captured by anthropologist P. Christiaan Klieger in this detailed and vivid account. In these pages, you’ll learn not only Moku‘ula’s history as Kamehameha III’s royal palace but also its legacy as home to the royal family’s supernatural guardian Kihawahine. We are heartened by the calls to restore this sacred site, which represents the richness of Maui’s history and story.

SEE ALSO: Restoring Moku‘ula, Maui’s Sacred Island

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Mo‘o and Koholā

by Lori Abreu, illustrated by Nicki Barsamian

Born and raised on Maui, author Lori Abreau has written a can’t-miss children’s book celebrating her home and community. Friendship is at the heart of Mo‘o and Koholā, two animal characters who meet at Lahaina harbor and learn to rely on each other for support, aid and love. If the heartwarming story isn’t enough, Abreu has partnered with award-winning musician Kala‘e Camarillo to create joyful songs and dances to accompany the book. Mo‘o and Koholā is a direct response to the fires—a union of three Maui creatives expressing an enduring love of their homeland.

*Proceeds from Mo‘o and Koholā purchases will be donated to help rebuild Lahaina! More information is available at kumulori.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

‘Ohu‘ohu nā Mauna o ‘E‘eka: Place Names of Maui Komohana

by Cody Kapueola‘ākeanui Pata

In this beautiful and engaging work, Maui-based kumu hula Cody Kapueola‘ākeanui Pata has assembled more than 1,600 inoa ‘āina of Maui Komohana, the area commonly known as West Maui. In this way, the legacies of place names throughout West Maui are preserved and celebrated. The compilation of ‘Ohu‘ohu nā Mauna o ‘E‘eka is impressive; Pata consulted maps, Hawaiian- and English-language newspapers, archival records, conversations with Kānaka Maoli speakers and several other sources to inform the making of this critical work of Maui scholarship.

SEE ALSO: 14 Common Place Names on O‘ahu and What to Call Them Instead

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl