Maui

Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 727 square miles (1883 km²). Native Hawaiian tradition gives the origin of the island's name in the legend of Hawaiʻiloa, the Polynesian navigator attributed with discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. The story relates how he named the island of Maui after his son who in turn was named for the demi-god Maui. According to legend, the demi-god Maui raised all the Hawaiian Islands from the sea. The Island of Maui is also called the "Valley Isle" for the large fertile isthmus between its two volcanoes.

History

Polynesians, from Tahiti and the Marquesas, were the original peoples to populate Maui. The Tahitians introduced the kapu system, a strict social order that affected all aspects of life and became the core of Hawaiian culture. Modern Hawai'ian history began in the mid-1700s. King Kamehameha I took up residence (and later made his capital) in Lahaina after conquering Maui in the bloody Battle of Kepaniwai in 1790 in the Iao Valley.

Related Topics:
Kapu - King Kamehameha I - 1790 - Iao Valley

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{{Unicode|Īʻao}} Valley

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Captain James Cook "discovered" Maui on November 26, 1778, although he never set foot on the island, being unable to find a suitable landing. The first European to visit Maui was the French admiral Jean Francois de Galaup de La Perouse, who landed on the shores of what is now known as La Perouse Bay on May 29, 1786. More Europeans followed: traders, whalers, loggers (e.g., of sandalwood) and missionaries. The missionaries began to arrive from New England in 1823, choosing Lahaina because it was the capital. They clothed the natives, banned them from dancing hula, and greatly altered the culture. They tried to keep whalers and sailors out of the bawdy houses. The missionaries taught reading and writing, created the 12-letter Hawaiian alphabet, started a printing press in Lahaina, and began writing the islands' history, until then existing only as oral accounts. They started the first school in Lahaina, which still exists today: Lahainaluna Mission School. The Mission school opened in 1831 and was the first secondary school to open West of the Rockies.

Related Topics:
Captain James Cook - November 26 - 1778

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Looking into {{Unicode|Haleakalā}} "crater"

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At the height of the whaling era (1840-1865), Lahaina was a major whaling centre with anchorage in Lahaina Roads; in one season over 400 ships visited Lahaina and the greatest number of ships berthed at one time was about 100. A given ship tended to stay months rather than days which explains the drinking and prostitution in the town at that time. Whaling declined steeply at the end of the 19th century as crude oil (petroleum) replaced whale oil.

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Kamehameha's descendants reigned in the islands until 1872. They were followed by rulers from another ancient family of chiefs, including {{Unicode|Queen Liliʻuokalani}} who ruled in 1893 when the monarchy was overturned. One year later, the Republic of Hawaii was founded. The island was annexed by the United States in 1898 and made a territory in 1900. {{Unicode|Hawaiʻi}} became the 50th state in U.S. in 1959.

Related Topics:
Queen Liliʻuokalani - Republic of Hawaii - United States - 1898 - 1900 - 1959

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Maui was centrally involved in the Pacific Theatre of World War II as a staging centre, training base, and for rest and relaxation. At the peak in 1943-44, the number of troops stationed on Maui exceeded 100,000. The main base of the 4th Marines was in Haiku. Beaches (e.g., in {{Unicode|Kīhei}}) were used for practice landings and training in marine demolition and sabotage.

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