H istorical Sites on Maui

‘Īao Valley State Park

Hike the trails and explore the exhibits of this valley. A sacred burial ground for ali‘i, this is where the Battle of Kepaniwai took place in 1790, placing Maui under the rulership of Kamehameha I.

Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum

Learn about Maui’s plantation life and sugar industry with authentic tools, household items, toys, clothing and photographs. Open Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (except for holidays).

Hale Pa‘ahao: Lāhainā Prison

View the prison yard wall and wooden buildings of Hale Pa‘ahao, built in the 1850s. Open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hale Hō‘ike‘ike at the Bailey House

Explore a historic mission home with 19th century artifacts and exhibitions. Guided tours are available, open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Aloha

Throughout the Hawaiian Islands, there is a special feeling we call aloha—a phrase that gives Hawai‘i its nickname. Aloha is a Hawaiian word commonly heard as a greeting, but it also means love, kindness and compassion. Aloha truly animates life here for visitors and residents alike; we invite you to say it freely and discover its true significance.

Hula

Nothing is quite as universally symbolic of the Hawaiian Islands as the art of hula. While other Pacific cultures have unique dance traditions, hula is unique to Hawai‘i and has become an embodiment of aloha, treasured and enjoyed by all who experience it. You may see two different forms of hula while visiting our islands. Traditional hula kahiko is accompanied by chants and percussion sounds mimicking wind and surf, while modern hula ‘auana, on the other hand, often includes singing and musical instruments. Both forms convey the essence of aloha great love, caring, sharing, charity, kindness, compassion, mercy and humility.

HAWAI‘I

The two official languages of Hawai‘i are Hawaiian (‘ōlelo Hawai‘i) and English. The Hawaiian language is of Polynesian descent with a total of 13 letters in its alphabet: A, E, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, U, W and the ‘okina (‘). The ‘okina is a glottal stop, like the sound between the oh’s in oh-oh, and is a consonant. The ‘okina and kahakō ( ō), or macron, change the pronunciation and meaning of a word.

The vowels are pronounced: a like a in above ā like a far e like e in bet ē like ay in pay i like y in city ī like ee in see o like o in low ō like o in sole u like oo in hoot ū like oo in moon

Some vowels are diphthongs, forming a single sound as in ai in Waikolōa. In general, the consonants are pronounced as in English with the exception of w. W can be either a v or a w sound.

A few words you should know:

‘āina: land aloha: a reciprocal greeting of affection; hello, good-bye and so much more hele or holoholo: travel kama‘āina: native-born, resident kāne: man kapu: prohibited keiki: child kōkua: help

Hawaiian Music

Enjoy the beautiful and diverse sounds of Maui. From traditional slack-key guitar and ‘ukulele music to Hawaiian reggae, hip hop and modern beats, Hawaiian music is always the perfect souvenir to remember your visit to the islands.

lei: a garland given for any occasion; traditionally flower, seed, shell, nut, feathers and various forms of foliage mahalo: thank you; respect ma kai: toward the ocean ma uka: toward the mountains mālama: to take care of

‘ohana: family

‘ono: delicious pau: finished wahine: woman wikiwiki or ‘āwīwī: fast