Fellows mentioned in this story: Stuart Coleman

From Hawai‘i Business Magazine:

After last year’s deadly wildfires in Lahaina, Archie Kalepa returned to the smoldering ruins of his hometown and immediately set up an emergency center at his home. Since then, the legendary waterman has dedicated himself to the recovery of Lahaina and its people.

He has also been thinking about what’s needed for long-term recovery. In his view, it’s all about rethinking how we use our natural resources. “Twenty years ago, the most precious thing in Hawai‘i was land,” he says. “Today, the most precious thing on our islands is water.”

Kalepa’s family has lived in West Maui for nine generations and once presided over large taro patches that helped feed Lahaina when it was the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom. Water had been the essence of Lahaina, and there were so many canals and wetlands that it was once known as the “Venice of the Pacific.” But that landscape was transformed over time.

Kalepa sees the increasing threats of wildfire caused by droughts, climate change and poor land management, and he believes that two solutions are needed: one based on indigenous wisdom and the other on modern technology.

The first involves bringing back the wise use of water that his Hawaiian ancestors practiced, which will help create local farms and restore the life of the land.

Continue reading at HawaiiBusiness.com.