Welcome to Walk Maui!

Hawai'i has a rich history dating back over 1,000 years. On a Walk Maui tour, you'll explore everything from the first Polynesian migrants to the modern era. Our tours are a unique way to add a fun and easy cultural component to your Maui vacation and a fantastic way to learn a little bit of the history that makes Hawai'i such a magical place.

This blog features links to news stories, events, and other activities on Maui that we think will be of interest for historically and culturally minded visitors (and kama'aina).

For more information about our walking tours, visit our main web site at http://www.walkmaui.com.

Horses in Hawaii

Today -- August 9th -- is the generally accepted date that horses first arrived in the Hawaiian islands back in 1803. (We says "generally accepted" because dates of May and June 1803 are also seen in older literature.)

The horses were brought by Captain R.J. Cleveland aboard the ship Lelia Byrd; two were landed in Kawaihae and presented to the king, Kamehameha. Another pair of horses were taken to Lahaina, Maui, and given to John Young. Cattle had been brought to the island by Captain Vancouver in 1793 and the king had put a 10-year kapu (taboo) on them to allow the cattle to breed and multiply. That kapu ended up lasting until 1830, by which time the cows had gotten completely out of control. Two years later John Palmer Parker hired the first Mexican cowboys--who would come to be known as paniolo (a variant of Hispaniolo or "Hispanic person")--to help him on his Big Island ranch with the cattle problem. Presumably, those first horses from 1803 had also multiplied in subsequent generations and were already waiting when the paniolo arrived.

Meanwhile, the ship that brought those first horses, the Lelia Byrd, was acquired by King Kamehameha for his ultimately unsuccessful attack on Kauai.

Concert at Moana Bakery and Cafe in Pa'ia | Thursday, August 5, 7:30-9:30PM

As part of Kimo's other life as a singer/songwriter, he'll be performing a 2-hour set on Thursday, August 5th, at Moana Cafe in Pa'ia.

Kimo's songs range from eclectic covers on guitar and 'ukulele to his own compositions, many of them rooted in Hawaiian myth and history. For a preview of his songs, visit http://listn.to/jameskimonevius.

Moana Cafe is located at 71 Baldwin Avenue in Pa'ia, just mauka of the public parking lot. They have a great menu, a full bar, and a relaxed atmosphere. You can check them out at http://www.moanacafe.com/.

Hope to see you there!

Ko'ie'ie Fishpond Auction on eBay

Our friends at 'Ao 'ao O Na Loko I'a O Maui (The Association of Maui Fishponds) are hosting a charity auction on eBay to raise funds for the ongoing restoration of the Ko'ie'ie fishpond in Kihei. This is a great way to support a wonderful Maui resource. The fishpond provides a living link to Maui's ancient history as well as providing wonderful volunteer opportunities for residents and visitors alike.

Some of the auction items are currently priced WELL below their value (the last time we checked the snorkel trip for 2 was going for $36 and there was a gift certificate to Bubba Gump's at half price.) So you can help out a worthy cause and get a great bargain in the process!


Check out all of the auction items at http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=39599.

Prohibition in Hawaii

We were just reading that 100 years ago today, the voters of Hawai'i rejected "overwhelmingly" a law prohibiting the sale of alcohol in the territory.

With the number of people whose stereotypical vision of Hawai'i includes a fruity drink and a tropical umbrella, it can be tough to remember that Hawai'i actually has a long history of temperance. All the way back in 1829, during the reign of Kamehameha III, the Kingdom of Hawai'i passed an ordinance banning the sale of "ardent spirits." However, the ban was unloved by the visiting whale ships as well as by mainland exporters who wished to sells their goods in the Hawaiian market, so in 1850, Kamehameha III lifted the ban.

Over the next 50 years, as temperance movements on the mainland gathered steam, Hawai'i had a strong "dry" movement, as well. An anti-saloon league was founded in 1901 but voters, on July 26, 1910, rejected the idea of an outright ban on alcohol. What finally brought about full-scale Prohibition--both in the Territory of Hawai'i and on the mainland--was World War I. Wartime rationing led to bans on the sale and production of alcohol in 1918 and just a year later, Congress passed the 18th Amendment banning the alcohol nationwide.

Prohibition went into effect in 1920 in all states and territories and stayed in effect until 1934. (Interestingly, while the Constitutional amendment reversing Prohibition was passed in 1933, states and territories each ended Prohibition on their own schedules.)


In Kimo's other life as a songwriter, he's written a song about the beer running out in Hawaii at the turn of the 20th century. The song is called Fair Angeline and you can see a video of him performing it live in New York City.

If you are interested in Prohibition in general, we recommend Daniel Okrent's Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, which came out earlier this year.

Today, of course, alcohol is not only served liberally in the islands--it's made here, too. Our local favorite is Maui Dark Rum.

This Week on Maui: June 28-July 4

Our week on Maui comes to a close this week with Independence Day. Did you know that the Declaration of Independence was actually approved on July 2nd? As John Adams wrote to Abigail, "The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival."

(Why do we celebrate the 4th instead of the 2nd? That's the day the Declaration was printed for the first time.)

Some great things are happening this week on Maui. First, on Friday, July 2nd, it's the First Friday celebration in downtown Wailuku. Every month, food and craft vendors come, stores stay open late, and there's plenty of live music and entertainment. This month, Maui Thing -- a clothing boutique on Market Street -- is celebrating its 2nd anniversary with a fashion show and a concert by the great Willie K. It should be a great night.

The next morning, head upcountry to the old cowboy town, Makawao, for the annual 4th of July paniolo parade starting at 9:00 a.m. Paniolo are Hawaiian cowboys and this annual parade coincides with the 55th Annual Makawao Rodeo at Oskie Rice arena on Olinda Road. Rodeo events on Saturday begin at 1:00 p.m.

This Week on Maui | June 14-20

The big event this week on Maui is the annual Maui Film Festival, which runs from June 16-20. Screenings and events take place in Wailea at the open air "Celestial Cinema" as well as at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center's Castle Theater.

Each year, a number of films focus on Hawaii and Hawaiian issues, and this year is no exception. Films include The Watermen Experience, about tow-in surfing, Ho'okele Wa'a (Turning the Canoe), Hana Surf Girls, Poi Dogs, and more.

Visit http://www.mauifilmfestival.com/ for a complete listing of films, information on tickets, and a schedule of all the wonderful non-film events happening as well.

This Week on Maui: June 7-14

Aloha and welcome to our new regular feature, "This Week on Maui" where we highlight two or three interesting events that will take place this week on the Valley Isle. As always, our focus is mainly on the culture, arts, and history of our island, but as you will see from below, we will also highlight other events that impact all of us, whether we live in Hawaii or not.

TUESDAY, JUNE 8, at 6:00PM

TAPPED

Under the auspices of the Pacific Whale Foundation, come to the Kihei Charter School for a free screening Tapped, a documentary about the bottled water industry's effects on our health, climate change, pollution and our reliance on oil. And in a place like Maui, with our reliance on so much imported material, our culture's addiction to bottled water takes on added dimensions. While the screening has been underwritten by the Pacific Whale Foundation, $5 donations are welcomed at the door. 

Kihei Charter School is located at 300 Ohukai Road.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11 -- ALL DAY

KAMEHAMEHA DAY

Friday marks the 138th annual celebration of Kamehameha Day, a holiday created by King Kamehameha V in 1872 to honor his grandfather, Kamehameha the Great, who unified Hawaii into one kingdom. It is a state holiday, so public offices and many banks will be closed.

SATURDAY, JUNE 12, at 9:45AMNA KAMEHAMEHA PA'U PARADE
In honor of Kamehameha Day (see above), come to Lahaina to see the Kamehameha Pa'u Parade and Ho'olaulea (celebration). The parade will include many local groups and floats but what is most stunning to see are the Pa'u riders -- women riding horseback in colorful pa'u (skirts) and wearing fragrant floral lei. The horses are are also garlanded with flowers making for a beautiful display. Following the parade, the celebration will continue in Banyan Tree Park with food, crafts, and music.

The parade will run down Front Street in Lahaina. Arrive early for a good spot.

Gig at Moana Cafe in Pa'ia | Thursday, June 3, from 6:30-8:30PM

In addition to all the other things we do (writing history, researching, leading walking tours, etc.), Kimo is a singer/songwriter and this Thursday, June 3, he'll be showcasing his material at Moana Cafe in Pa'ia.

Many of Kimo's recent songs are steeped in Hawaiian history and myth, telling the stories of everything from sugar cane workers to famous Hawaiian legends. He also writes songs that don't have anything to do with Hawaii (or history) and will include an eclectic array of covers on guitar and ukulele.

More info about Kimo's music can be found at http://www.walkmaui.com/music.htm.

Moana Cafe is located at 71 Baldwin Avenue in Pa'ia (just mauka of the Mana parking lot). You can read more about them at http://www.moanacafe.com/

Hope to see you there!

Raiatea and Keola Beamer in Concert on Saturday, May 22, in Lahaina

Keola Beamer -- famed slack key guitarist, composer, and all-around Hawaiian musical treasure -- has teamed up with Raiatea Helm to create a new album, Keola Beamer & Raiatea for Mountain Apple. Released at the beginning of the month, the album features everything from traditional Hawaiian songs to their cover of John Lennon "Imagine" (reworked in Hawaiian as "Ina-".)

On Saturday night, they will be performing at the Maui Theatre in Lahaina (home of 'Ulalena) on Saturday at 7:30PM. This will be a great opportunity to see two of the stars of the Hawaiian music scene in an intimate setting -- there really isn't a bad seat in the house.

Call 877-688-4800 for tickets. For more information on the album -- including a preview of the songs -- visit http://www.mountainapplecompany.com/keola/raiatea/.

Don't Miss the 18th Annual East Maui Taro Festival

This coming weekend, April 24 and 25, the town of Hana will once again play host to the annual East Maui Taro Festival, a celebration of kalo (as taro is known in Hawaiian) and local culture.

On Saturday, April 24, the festivities will take place at the Hana Ball Park. There will be food, educational booths about taro, demonstrations on how to pound poi and carve the stone poi pounder and poi board, and lots of entertainment. My halau, Halau Maui Nui a Kama -- under the direction of Na Kumu Keli'i Tau'a and Kapono Kamaunu -- will be performing in the morning, so be certain you are there early! (Unfortunately, I will not be performing with them as work takes me to the mainland. Oh well -- next time.)

On Sunday, April 25, there will be a taro pancake breakfast and tours of Kahanu Garden and Kahanu Living Farm.

All the details can be found at http://www.tarofestival.org/ and there was also an excellent article about the festival -- and about taro cultivation in general -- in the Maui News: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/530612.html.

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Father Damien

In the midst of tax day yesterday, we neglected to post that it was also the anniversary of the death of Saint Damien of Molokai (more commonly known as Father Damien).

Born Jozef ("Jef") De Veuster in Belgium in 1840, Damien moved to Hawaii in 1864. He was ordained to the priesthood later that year at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu. In 1865, the Kingdom of Hawaii set up the colony at Kalaupapa for people suffering from Hansen's Disease (then known as leprosy) and Father Damient moved to Molokai in 1873. He died of the disease on April 15, 1889.

Last year, Damien was sainted by Pope Benedict XVI and his feast day was declared as May 10th. At the beginning of this month, Hawaii's governor, Linda Lingle, signed into law a designation that May 10 will also be a holiday in Hawaii to be known as "Saint Damien Day." Stay tuned -- if there are any Saint Damien activities planned on Maui, we'll be sure to post them here.

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A Day of Culture and Art at UH Maui College

This Sunday, April 11, from 10:00AM to 5:00PM, join in a celebration of Maui's rich and diverse heritage at Maui College (formerly MCC) in Kahului. Entertainment will range from MAPA to Hawaii Ballroom Dancers to Frank DeLima and there will be craft and food booths. (We are especially looking forward to dishes presented by International House of Taro.)

Admission is free and you can find out a complete schedule of everything happening at http://aecg.org/2010/cultureandart.htm.

A hui hou!

Happy Birthday Ka'ahumanu and Kauikeaouli

As noted last week, today is birthday of Queen Ka'ahumanu, who was born in Hana in 1768. But today is also the day that Kauikeaouli -- better known by his royal title, Kamehameha III -- celebrated his official birthday. Kauikeaouli was born in August 1813 (though some think it was in June or July) but adopted March 17th as his official birthday because of his admiration for St. Patrick. (Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's day, too!)

On a completely different note, today is also another significant anniversary -- one year ago today the ill-fated Superferry stopped service between Maui and O'ahu. Will ferry service make a comeback? A bill was passed last month to explore the options of linking the major islands by boat. We shall see....

Celebrate Queen Ka'ahumanu's Birthday

This weekend the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center in Kahului is celebrating the birth of one of Hawaii's most revered queens -- and their namesake -- Ka'ahumanu. The queen was born on March 17, 1768, in Hana, Maui. Through her mother's lineage she was descended from the great chiefs of Maui, including Kekaulike, and on her father's side she was related (distantly) to Kamehameha I, to whom she was betrothed in 1781. She went on to be the king's favorite wife and, after Kamehameha's death, to be co-regent of the Kingdom of Hawaii with both Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III.

On Friday (March 12), opening ceremonies will be led at the mall by the 'Ahahui Ka'ahumanu Society beginning at 6:00 p.m. On Saturday (March 13) there will be musical entertainment in the queen's honor:

• 11:00am: Hulu Lindsey
• 12:00pm Derick Sebastian and Joshua Kahula
• 1:00pm George Kahumoku
• 2:00pm Jason Sedang and the men and women of Kealaokala, .

  The events are sponsored by radio station, KPOA.

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Ko'olau: A True Story of Kaua'i at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center

There are still tickets available for this Sunday's 5:00PM performance at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, Ko'olau: A True Story of Kaua'i. This looks like it is going to be a fantastic show, a blending of Hawaiian history, puppetry, video projection, live music, and vivid storytelling.

The work is the brainchild of Hawaiian-born (and now New York-based) director Tom Lee; it tells the true story of Kaluaiko'olau, a native Hawaiian paniolo with Hansen's Disease, who resisted forced exile to Kalaupapa in the 1890s, hiding with his family in Kaua'i's Ko 'olau Valley.  Its text is taken from Francis Frazier's powerful, poetic translation from the original words of Pi'ilani, the wife of Kaluaiko'olau.

The New York Times called the show "beautifully conceived and performed. Tom Lee's production...not only reveals its lyrical beauty, but through its rich combination of music, film, and puppet animation, brings out the sadness and strength at its core."


Tickets are still available at MACC box office or on their website at https://www.mauiarts.org/tickets/. PLEASE NOTE: The show is general admission and is in the Castle Theater, so you may want to show up early to get good seats.

For more photos from the show, visit Tom Lee's website at http://www.tomleeprojects.com/gallery2/v/Koolau/.

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A Look Back at Hawai'ian Tsunamis

With this weekend’s small tsunami behind us, we thought it would be worth taking a look back at some of the other tidal waves that have hit Hawai’i over the past 200 years.

According to Dr. George Pararas-Carayannis’s in-depth tsunami page, a major, destructive tidal wave hits Hawai’i once every twelve years. So when the news media kept saying on Saturday that we are overdue for a “big” tsunami, they weren’t kidding. It’s been 50 years since the destructive 9.5 magnitude Chilean earthquake that created the tsunami that devastated Hilo – statistically, we should have had at least three or four destructive tidal waves since then.

(In 1975, a 7.2 earthquake off the coast of the Big Island generated a tsunami that swamped the Keauhou Landing area of the Puna coast of Hawai’i, killing two people, but the majority of destructive tsunamis are not locally produced. Most come from South America or Alaska.)

A number of minor tsunamis have also reached the islands since 1812 (the first historically recorded tidal wave), but since 1964, those have been relatively rare as well. Why the long drought (so to speak)? Does it mean we really are overdue for a cataclysmic tidal wave? Considering how many earthquakes happen each month around the so-called “ring of fire” in the Pacific, it does seem like it is only a matter of time until a major wave hits the islands. While things went well this weekend, let's hope that state and local agencies take a hard look at Saturday's evacuations and make the necessary changes to the system to ensure even greater compliance when the real thing eventually happens.

Another resource we found is the University of Hawai’i’s Center for Oral History. Check out their “ Tsunamis in Maui County: Oral Histories” page, which is full of reminiscences of the 1946 tsunami – generated by an earthquake in the Aleutian Islands – that slammed in the north shore of Maui and affected the island from Lahaina to Hamoa Bay. The memories of the survivors of that tsunami serve as a cautionary tale; as Barbara Cannon told the interviewers in 1999:

“On the horizon was like a big wall of water. We got in the car and we drove . . . we were caught between our home and the nurse’s cottage, when the car began to float. I said, ‘Willie, let’s leave, let’s get out, let’s get out,’ and he tried to open the door and he couldn’t. We kept bobbing along. And he said, ‘I can’t open the door.’ But as he said that he opened the window, and it released the pressure, so he was able to open the door, so we swam from the car.”

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Christopher Columbus Talk

Aloha kakou,

This doesn't have much to with Maui (all right -- it doesn't have anything to do with Maui!), but James is giving a talk to the The Italian American Social Club in Kiheil on Tuesday, February 23, at 7:00 p.m.

The talk will be held in Stawarz Hall at St. Theresa Church in Kihei.

James will give a multimedia presentation on "1892 - Christopher Columbus and the Making of Modern America." Nevius is the author of Inside the Apple: A Streetwise History of New York City.

A potluck dinner will precede the presentation.

For more information, contact Don Tedesco 214-6366 or e-mail dstedesco@gmail.com.

If you are interested in learning more about why it's so important that everyone learned the rhyme "In 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue," then join us on Tuesday!

A hui hou.

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Maui's Julia Mancuso Makes Skiing History

Maybe the weather's turned cold on Maui this week in honor of the 2010 Winter Olympics taking place in Vancouver. While the press has been focusing mainly on Lindsey Vonn and her injury-plagued quest for gold, Hawaiian news outlets are just beginning to wake up to the fact that downhill skier Julia Mancuso lives and cross trains on Maui during the off season.

So far, Mancuso has won two silver medals in Vancouver and she also won a gold in giant slalom in Turin four years ago. This means that she and Bode Miller have become the first two American skiers to ever win three Olympic medals. Way for Maui to represent!

You can read more about Mancuso's achievement in the San Francisco Chronicle. And to see Mancuso on Maui, visit Outside magazine's website.

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Keali'i Reichel's Kukahi 2010 comes to Maui

There are still mezzanine tickets available for both performances this weekend by Hawai'ian musical legend Keali'i Reichel. A twenty-time Na Hoku Hanohano winner and respected kumu hula, Reichel is among the most popular and best-selling musicians in Hawai'ian music history. He will be performing Saturday, February 13, and Sunday, February 14, at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului.

The event is a fundraiser for his halau who will be heading to Merrie Monarch in early April.

For tickets and more information, visit the MACC at http://mauiarts.org/Feb.html#KealiiReichelInKukahi.