15/08/2023
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In Lahaina, the tiny island of Moku’ula was once the beating heart of the Hawaiian kingdom. Though now buried inconspicuously under a baseball field in Lahaina called Maluuluolele park, this single acre of land was considered the most sacred place on Maui.
According to legend, Moku’ula was home to the goddess Kihawahine’s grotto. A prominent stone now stands in representation of her power and presence. Chiefs would come to seek Kihawahine’s favor before battle. Kamehameha the Great invoked her during his conquering campaigns. Even after the kapu system fell, ali’i used Moku’ula as a royal refuge.
King Kamehameha III moved his court here in the 1830s, barricading himself on this Lahaina island against invading missionaries and traders. Moku’ula became his symbolic tie to tradition.
Decades later, Moku’ula was nearly forgotten, as Lahaina itself was ravaged by colonialism. But now is the time for the town’s rebirth. With Lahaina destroyed, there is opportunity to restore Moku’ula as the cultural heartbeat of the town, the island, the kingdom once again.
For those who understand its history, reviving Moku’ula is a pono path - the righteous restoration of an ancient center of Hawaiian spirit and sovereignty in Lahaina. Though just a buried acre now, Moku’ula still holds power. Its story reminds us that the course of nations can hinge on a single patch of earth. (👀🔗in Bio)