The Royal History of Lahaina, Hawaii

Historic Lahaina, a town on Maui's west coast, has been destroyed in the devastating wildfires that have burned across the island this week.

Lahaina is a "place where the past is present," David Aiona Chang, a professor and Native Hawaiian historian at the University of Minnesota, told the Washington Post. "Native Hawaiians, we’re very emphatic that we’re not giving up on that — our culture is still alive, our language is still alive — and that makes Lahaina very important to us."

Lahaina's history mirrors that of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kaniela Ing, who founded Our Hawaii and is seventh-generation Kānaka Maoli (Indigenous Hawaiian), tells NBC News. Ing explains, "If you start from one end of Front Street and walk to the other end, it’s like a physical timeline of the history of the Hawaiian Kingdom. You can actually see the flow in the buildings stemming back 150 or more years. It’s remarkable and just the thought that that history may have been lost in this fire or any bit of that history is heartbreaking."

Before the unification of Hawaii, Lahaina was the royal capital of Maui. In 1795, Lahaina was conquered by Kamehameha I, and established the town as the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii—even before the unification of the Hawaiian islands.

According to Lahaina's official history, "In 1802, King Kamehameha made Lahaina the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. He built a brick palace there, along with residences and other royal buildings, and Lahaina served as the center of the Hawaiian government for over 50 years, until permanently relocating to Honolulu for its harbor."

While it was the capital, Hawaiian kings and queens attended Waine‘e Church (now Waiola Church). Buried in the graveyard there include Queen Keōpūolani (King Kamehameha I's wife), King Kaumuali‘i, Queen Kalākua, Princess Nahiʻenaʻena, Governor Hoapili, and Governess Liliha.

Lahaina served as a whaling port and fishing town, making it a global trade destination. "When the whaling industry got established and they pushed out subsistence fishing, there were protests on construction pretty much every step of the way," Ing said. "Our ancestors, especially Native Hawaiians fought them every step of the way. Front Street is also a reminder of that history of resistance."

In 1873, Sheriff William Owen Smith planted an Indian banyan tree, where Kamehameha's first palace was located. However, Smith, the son of missionaries, didn't plant it for royal reasons, but rather "to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lahaina," according to the town's history.

Fires have reportedly damaged the old banyan tree. In addition, The Baldwin Home Museum in Lahaina, which is the oldest house in Maui, Waiola Church, and numerous other historic structures have been damaged or destroyed in the wildfires.

Fifty-five people have died so far, and hundreds more are missing. Looking for ways to donate and show your support? A full guide to how to help, right here.

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