Trending
The annual Kuhinia Maui gathering will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday to mark the third anniversary of the 2023 Maui wildfires that killed at least 102 people and burned much of Lahaina.
The daylong gathering is intended to give residents an opportunity to be with family, friends and other community members as they support and care for one another on the third anniversary of the disaster.
The gathering will take place on the lawn of Lahaina United Methodist Church at 988 Front St., according to the Maui County Office of Public Affairs. Following the recent completion of improvement projects in the area, portions of Front Street that had been closed after the fire reopened to vehicular traffic on Aug. 1.
More than anything, Saturday's gathering is intended to honor loved ones who were lost while providing support for a community that continues to recover from Hawaii's deadliest wildfire.
Throughout the day, community members are invited to drop in, spend time together, listen to music, share a meal and participate in activities that encourage connection and healing.
A special tribute at 5:30 p.m. will include a moment of silence to honor the 102 people who lost their lives and the two people who remain unaccounted for in the Maui wildfires. The tribute will also include the presentation of 1,000 origami peace cranes by students traveling from Izumisano, Osaka, Japan, as a symbol of peace, hope and healing.
"As we mark three years since the Maui wildfires, we honor the lives of those we lost and the memories that continue to guide us," Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said. "We also recognize the remarkable strength of our community -- the neighbors, families, volunteers and organizations who have supported one another through recovery and rebuilding. Kuhinia Maui is a reminder that even in our most difficult moments, we are stronger when we come together."
The gathering will also offer activities including lei making and wellness care provided by lomi lomi and acupuncture practitioners.
Residents will also have an opportunity to participate in a number of free activities, including decorating memorial shirts with messages, artwork or designs honoring loved ones, celebrating resilience and preserving cherished memories.
Attendees can also personalize luminaries with names, drawings or heartfelt messages to be displayed during the evening memorial, and decorate symbolic 'ulu, or breadfruit, leaves with words of hope, gratitude, remembrance or personal reflections that will contribute to a collective expression of healing and renewal.
Another planned event will help community members explore the history and cultural significance of West Maui through traditional Hawaiian place names that tell the stories of the land and its people.
The program and entertainment schedule includes Akoni at 9 a.m., Kuha'o Murray at 11:15 a.m., Marvin Tevaga at 12:30 p.m., Sean Moala at 1:45 p.m., Sione Liti at 3 p.m., Corey Lum at 4:15 p.m., and Highway 30 at 6:15 p.m. after the memorial program.
Residents are invited to attend the entire daylong event or stop by at any time throughout the day for a short visit.
While all events are free, organizers are encouraging attendees to RSVP at kuhiniamaui.org to help with meal planning. Parking will be available in the two adjacent lots at Lahaina Surf, with additional parking options to be announced before Saturday.
The county's Lahaina Community Meeting, regularly scheduled for the first Wednesday of the month, will instead be held Aug. 12 at Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria.