Maui rebuilds with tourism’s role in their recovery

August 20, 2023
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 Long before a wind-whipped wildfire blasted through the island of Maui, tension existed between Hawaii’s kamaaina, or longtime residents, and the visitors some islanders resent for turning their beaches, mountains and communities into playgrounds.

It’s a love-hate relationship that dates back generations. But now that tension is building in the aftermath of a blaze that killed over 100 people and scorched the historic town of Lahaina, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

A week after the fire, a state flag blew upside down in the breeze along a road leading to a neighborhood designated for residents of Hawaiian descent, signifying that the community is in distress. Beneath the flag, a sign scrawled in blue paint ordered tourists to “KEEP OUT.”

“Tourism has definitely been a hinderance at this point, because we need to take care of our families – our ohana,” said Kapali Keahi, who lives in the neighborhood. Keahi said those affected by the fire, himself included, are still “getting out of the survivor mode.”