One Year Later, Molokai Remembers the Maui Fires

Photo by Kanoe Davis

Aug. 8 marked one year since the devastating Maui wildfires which destroyed Lahaina, killing 102 people and displacing over 12,000. Molokai was one of the first communities to respond to the disaster, which was the deadliest wildfire in the United States in over 100 years, immediately sending boats laden with supplies. Lahaina and Molokai have been linked communities for generations, with many Molokai community members having families, jobs or even having attended high school in Lahaina. Now, a year later, Molokai residents continue to support the Lahaina community.

The Molokai-based nonprofit Ho’aka Mana has been providing crisis counselors through the Malu I Ka Ulu program to those affected by the fires.

“We are here to malama and kokua those affected directly and indirectly through crisis counseling, pu’u honua and holding space for folks to let go and release pressures or things they’re holding,” explained Ho’aka Mana executive director Kanoe Davis.

Davis, who was in Lahaina just three days after the fire, explained that serving those in Lahaina is part of an “innate kuleana” to continue to address the physical and emotional needs of fire victims.

To mark the one year anniversary, Davis and Ho’aka Mana organized a sign waving event outside the Molokai Public Library, specifically in support of Maui families who have relocated to Molokai.

Outside the library, participants made signs, gave out food and enjoyed local music.

For Davis, this is a way of “constantly showing our love…letting them know that we love them and we’re still here.”

For many, knowing exactly how to respond to the tragedy just across the Pailolo Channel has been difficult.

“We could see the fire. We watched it happen in real time,” explained Molokai resident Gallen Quinn. “We knew a lot of people were going over in boats, but we couldn’t do that kind of thing.”

The Friday following the wildfires, Quinn and some other residents from Wavecrest and friends from the surrounding area got together to offer multi-denominational prayers and thoughts for the victims of the fire.

The group has continued to meet weekly, to offer prayers for Maui and other global issues, and examine various ideas from religious traditions.
“Different wisdom traditions around the world are teaching the same thing,” explained Quinn. “When you’re devastated like that there is some foundation where you can make sense of it all.”

Each Friday, Quinn compiles quotes, prayers, and songs from various schools of thought including Native American, Hawaiian, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and more. For Quinn, the areas of confluence between disparate philosophies offers genuine hope in the power of good intention and prayer.

“I rely on prayer,” said Quinn. “It creates a connection between people and gives each other hope.”

The group plans on continuing their Friday meetings, especially as the Lahaina community continues to find its feet.

Molokai residents who would like to volunteer with Ho’aka Mana can sign up at hoakamana.org.