Kīpuni Aloha no Maui: statewide one-day vigil to help Maui heal, Sept. 1

Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners will lead a statewide, one-day vigil on Friday, Sept. 1, to aid the emotional and spiritual healing of those on Maui who suffered devastating loss from wildfires that swept through Lahaina and other areas of the island.

Native Hawaiian ceremonies on all islands at sunrise, noon, and sunset

To unify the islands in support of Maui, the vigil will be rooted in traditional Native Hawaiian practices and ceremonies and streamed live in partnership with ‘Ōlelo, Akakῡ Community Media, KAKU 88.5 FM, Maui Stream, Nā Leo TV, Hō‘ike TV, Hawai‘i News Now, KHON-2 and KITV-4, and online on HawaiiSoul.org/Maui, and on YouTube.

Individuals, businesses, and places of worship are encouraged to stream the 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. sunrise ceremony, the 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (HST) noon ceremony, and the 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (HST) sunset ceremony, which will be taking place concurrently across the islands.

The public is invited to attend the following ceremonies:

• Maui – 
  • UH Maui College, 310 W. Ka‘ahumanu Ave., Kahului, at Noon. Kumu Hula Hōkūlani Holt-Padilla will lead the noon ceremony in partnership with kumu hula, cultural practitioners, and leaders from diverse faiths.  
  • Ala Kukui, 4224 Hāna Highway at noon. This vigil is a reflection of East Maui’s diverse faiths and rooted in Native Hawaiian place and practice.
• Moloka‘i – Kapuāiwa, Kalaniana‘ole Hall, west end, 605 Maunaloa Hwy., Kaunakakai from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Kumu Hula Mikiala Pescaia will lead the sunset vigil in partnership with kumu hula, cultural practitioners including Walter Ritte, and leaders from diverse faiths.

• Hawai‘i Island – 
  • Pu‘u Huluhulu, Saddle Road, all day. Kumu Hula Dr. Noenoe Wong-Wilson will lead the day-long vigil along with the Kanakaʻole ʻOhana and cultural practitioners. The sunrise, noon, and sunset vigils will be streamed live through Nā Leo, ʻŌlelo and other media partners. 
  • Four Corners at Kumukahi in Puna at Sunrise. Pule by Uncle Keone Kalawe.
  • Lili‘uokalani Gardens, Lihiwai St., in Hilo at Noon. Ceremony led by Rabbi Rachel Short in partnership with Interfaith Communities in Action. 
  • Old A’s Pavilion 3 & 4, 75-5500 Kuakini Highway in Kailua-Kona at Sunset. Ceremony led by Kumu Kaʻea Lyons.
• O‘ahu – Thomas Square, 925 S Beretania St., Honolulu, at Noon. Kumu Hula Mehana Hind will lead the noon ceremony in partnership with kumu hula and Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners. 
• Kaua‘i – individuals are encouraged to hold their own in-place vigils.

Public and private venues invited to livestream the vigil

Places of worship, hotels, businesses, and other locations are encouraged to hold their own in-place vigils and to stream the ceremonies at their venues and share a link to it on their social media. The vigil will also be featured in the UH/Stanford football pregame segment.

A space for grief and healing

Hōkūlani Holt-Padilla, a Maui-based kumu hula and revered Hawaiian cultural elder, explained that while financial assistance and other resources are being provided to support the physical health of Maui families, many respected kῡpuna and Hawaiian cultural practitioners called out an equally important, intangible need that must be addressed.

“There’s an urgent need for prayer, cleansing, and reflection so that together, we can help Maui and Hawai‘i heal,” Holt-Padilla said. “This vigil will help to create a space for grief and healing and the opportunity for Hawai‘i to be united.”

A statewide collaboration among numerous groups and agencies

A member of the Rediscovering Hawaiʻi’s Soul initiative supported by the Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative (HEC), Holt-Padilla worked with HEC’s Chair Duane Kurisu and HEC’s RHS Executive Lead Kamana‘opono Crabbe to enlist support for the vigil among leaders in the Native Hawaiian, faith-based, business, and nonprofit communities, and state and county government.

The vigil is also supported by the Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul network and initiative, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kamehameha Schools, aio Group, and Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative; in partnership with Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen, Hawai‘i County Mayor Mitch Roth, Honolulu City & County Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami, and more.