Packed meeting of Lahaina residents and county leaders talk rebuilding after the fires

Emotions ran high today in west Maui as hundreds met with county leaders today to talk about rebuilding Lahaina.

[@joymahiko]

No Mayor, Police Chief, Governor, Hara. Their ABSENCE speaks volumes.

[@mjblue84]

They have no shame!!!!! Disgusting.

[@soundscape26]

The Police Chief has nothing to do with the rebuild. Neither would the Hara guy who resigned anyway.

[@davewil3]

Lahaina is owned by hundreds of individual property owners. Sounds like a lot of non owners want to dictate what owners can do with their property.

[@lisabarnes6919]

That would be so cool to listen about old ancestral story’s and about their great great grandfathers and grandparents history so glad to hear they will establish their families back in Lahaina soon.

[@AhJodie]

I am hoping there will be a documentary about this now and in the near future where everyone is happy that are native Hawaiians.

[@The.Hawaiian.Kingdom]

The vast majority of the population in Lāhainā (& the rest of Hawai’i) are not native Hawaiian, Hawaiians are a minority in our own homelands, an often ignored, exploited and marginalized minority.

[@icebiker3]

To follow is an observation from a tourist to Lahaina in 2009. My wife and I spent a couple hours in the Front Street area and toured the Baldwin House, old Court House and harbor area. We did not eat at any of the restaurants and only bought macadamia nuts at the ABC store and a carved sea turtle from a street carver. Other good memories were the Banyan Tree, the Old Fort replica, the Hau'ola stone, and the foundation of Kamehameha I's Brick Palace. I have since our trip read about Moku'ula and Mokuhinia pond and how important this area was to the Hawaiian ali'i. But there was no mention of it in a tour guide. I would have also liked to see the Wo Hing Temple and the Jodo Mission but we ran out of time. What we didn't do is go into the shops and galleries along Front Street. We had checked out the gift shop in the basement of the Master's Reading Room and found that prices were exorbitant. All this is to say that we would have liked to see more Hawaiian history in Lahaina, and less high-end sales galleries and stores. We were aghast at the commercialism and touristy "flavor" of Front Street. I will end this by saying I agree with the Hawaiian lady who spoke about rebuilding Lahaina for the residents. Let the tourists spend their time and money in the resort area north of Lahaina. Most of them are there for the beaches and golf.🏖⛵🤿⛳

[@elstongunn4277]

So if the sales galleries and stores and other touristy attractions are not replaced, where will the residents find employment? At the resort area you speak of? I agree that all of Hawaii is over-commercialized for the tourism industry, and so has lost much of its natural beauty, but Hawaii is not self-sustainable for the residents unless they find some kind of product or industry native to Hawaii that they can produce and export for sale to the rest of the world at a reasonable price. That is very hard to do for an island that must rely on expensive shipping costs for imports and exports. People of Hawaii need jobs to earn the money needed to live in Hawaii. Right now, very few opportunities exist outside of the tourism industry, right?

[@icebiker3]

Spread the restaurants, galleries and stores over a wider area, and not just along Front Street. That area always was too crowded with tourists. I worked in retail sales for 15 years and I can tell you that the only people who make money are the store owners, not the people who work for them, unless they are on commission.@@elstongunn4277

[@bruce3894]

@@elstongunn4277Agriculture of any kind is not the tax base of the island economy since the Pan Am Clipper and the Boeing 707 started coming to Hawaii. Locals think that they can draw social security or welfare (which grows on trees) is all they need. Tourism be damned.

[@rudolfkasanpawiro644]

Thanks for sharing.

[@blackmaninahillbilliesbody9085]

People of lahaina are a mixture of races very few pure Hawaiians, "We the people" is more important than a few token native groups that might get thrown a bone for supporting the Go green agendas from the UN, don't let them use equity to divide everybody, I am a 30 year multi generational resident of lahaina with deep roots, locals means from here not necessarily native, the economy is tourism that's why its plenty tourists in town, it would be great if we got back all the water so we could grown food like the native Hawaiians did, but be careful they might do a Disney land version of mokulele, where you dress like a native and hang out by the mosquito infested pond like old lahaina luau as a tourist attraction..remember "we the people" is everybody, not just brown voices or people that "look like me" etc

[@weblus2004]

These people forget, that the land they want to decide over is actually not theirs. They can rebuild whatever they want on their own land, but Lahaina was the economical motor of the island and it will be rebuilt that way. Anything else doesnt really make sense.

[@coffeeplease1103]

Heartaches don't matter. Logic and money do. Unfortunately Lahaina will never be the same.

[@peterl708]

The Lahaina before the fire had only 10% native Hawaiians and half of the residential properties were long-term and short-term rentals.

[@The.Hawaiian.Kingdom]

Probably less than 10% of the current residents are kānaka maoli, but 100% of the land in Lāhainā has clouded titles because it’s land stollen from Hawaiians, lands that Hawaiians still hold the original INALIENABLE titles too, but the “state” ignores those titles to steal & sell off our lands.

[@peterl708]

@@The.Hawaiian.KingdomI’ve been closely following the Maui fire news from the beginning. I’m very confused by this Lahaina land issue. Been hearing a lot about “land grab” and “don’t sell” - rebuild Lahaina to what it was. But here, seems to be different. As if saying take the land from the current legal owners and give to native Hawaiians? A form of governmental “land grab” and redistribution to another group of people?

[@user-kw5js6ye2u]

@@The.Hawaiian.Kingdom The land belongs to the elites now.

[@mamandapanda185]

@@peterl708 You missed that part about original titles

[@adamhall5024]

To me, this whole thing sounds like a land grab from the so called locals

[@mariateixeira6379]

Fight 💪🏻!!Don’t. Signed ANY PAPERS!! DON’T SELL YOUR LANDS!!!💪🏻🙏🏻❤️❤️

[@adamhall5024]

Sadly, the locals are being what they despise. Making demands to property owners on how they can rebuild their properties. If you don’t own it, then you have no voice in another person’s property decisions. Very hypocritical

[@bbrebozo6417]

What are they gonna do for money without tourists? A lot of emotion but not a lot of practical thinking. The school system in Hawaii is on par with Mississippi so this high technology dream politicians like to peddle is pure nonsense.

[@katewhite2465]

The school system in Hawai'i is dragged down by military families, many from Mississippi and swamp states.

[@HavendaleBlvd80]

Not nearly enough is being done to represent the interest of the local people of Lahaina. Outside interest always seems to work its way into a politicans agenda, rather than priority #1 being the interest of the people they represent. Know your history.

[@sandcastles808hawaii7]

DEW DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS RESEARCH IT

[@S.E.C-R]

Good for them… Touristy Lahaina was a great place, I’ve been there a few times and love it, but I agree with the locals, they were forced out by tourists and need to get control of their beautiful town the way it was before tourists!

[@davewil3]

Ever since built, Front Street has been storefronts mostly operated by immigrants.

[@kanakaoiwi1609]

Totally agree with the people of Lahaina! Lahaina should definitely be rebuilt to fits the needs of the Hawaiian people and the kanaka. It should be restored to the original Lahaina, as Kamalu'uluolele. This tourism-based cities we have here throughout the islands should really stop.

[@katewhite2465]

This cleansing provides opportunity to diversify economy, AWAY from tourism. Singapore and Taiwan could be used as templates. Since blueprints are probably available for the Courthouse, Kamehameha III, Baldwin Homes and Pioneer Inn...those should be considered for first rebuild to anchor Lahaina's rebirth.

[@mamandapanda185]

Cleansing? Well okay let's have your neighborhood "cleansed." No, we do not want to be like Taiwan or Singapore. We want to be Hawaii.

[@turtlegrams6582]

where's the Children ?!

[@davewil3]

At home with family, not missing.

[@lesliepropheter5040]

Nobody’s business but the Hawaiian Kanakas

[@newnormal1841]

📹 The shore line will be .... different. Infrastructure is probably allready engineered designed. Planning commision counsel, board, etc .. Ready to go, mobilize, deploy. New, in town fire codes Survailence building, building materials Water, sewerage, sanitation, hygiene.... Remember the english program "The Prisoner" ? Patrick McGowen Trippy little series A europen 15 minute smart town way back then 📹 🤺💐

[@96mgunter]

No worries, silly Hawaiian people... it won't look the "same as before which" would probably benefit you the most. You'll instead see mass corporations building whatever, wherever, and however - with not a care in the world about what you think. Completely sad indeed, as I love the history and culture of the islands. But be careful what you wish for - and how much you trust the government.

[@BenjaminHartleyReturns]

Not Ukraine, no care 🇺🇦👋☺️

[@KaizenEnergyUS]

A Sea of Red Republicans cuz the Democratic leadership building from the bottom to the top. FJB FBOBAMA.

[@katewhite2465]

Red is the school color of the oldest school West of the Rockies, Lahainaluna...

[@user-kw5js6ye2u]

The land should be given to the elites.

[@AK2HI]

You know the world moves on and all of lahaina needs to understand the world doesn't revolve around them. Its a crappy position to be in, but the rest of the world isn't you