Peter (aka Rudy) and Sugandha report on what they have heard from friends on Maui.
Many of you have lovingly inquired about Maui. Have we heard from our friends and family? Are they ok?
We greatly appreciate your kindness, love, and concern. It has been a hard question to respond to because the answer is that no one is OK. The whole island is in shock and grieving and most report that it is like a war zone. Everyone is reeling.
To quote our friend Sarah, “Heartbreak, shock, grief, anger, disbelief, and fear are fully alive, and somehow the spirit of Aloha is cutting right through all of it like a well-sharpened sword.”
As far as we know, most of our closest friends are alive. We know of a few lost homes and businesses. Many saw their dear neighbors’ houses burned to the ground. Hundreds of people we have come to know over our nearly 40 years in Hawai’i, and on Maui, have lost their homes, their businesses, and their vehicles; perhaps they have lost everything, even their lives. It is still unknown, because remains are hard to find in the inferno of heat from the fire. We may never know.
Maui is our homeland in many ways. We lived on this island we loved for over 40 years. Our island community has lost countless families – keiki (kids), aunties, uncles, grandparents. As of Sunday, 8/13, 12,000 people have lost their homes; 1,300 are still missing (that we know of). The search crews have gone through only 3% of the burned-out structures and have found 89 dead. These numbers will most likely rise dramatically…
These are the kind, gentle, humble, generous folks we used to talk to during our day-to-day life. The sweet auntie near my (Peter’s) home in Lahaina who handed me a bag of mangoes off her tree one day. The guy who managed and lived in the house I (Peter) used to rent with friends on Front Street in Lahaina, back in 1981. The Kahu/minister we talked to about performing our wedding ceremony. The wild and fun-loving folks down at the harbor, skin tanned and wrinkled from way too many years of surfing and seaside living.
This tragedy for Maui is similar to the Twin Towers, Maui’s own 9/11. Unfathomable destruction and loss, as if a nuclear bomb went off and burned and flattened an entire city in what seemed like minutes.
As our friend Kabba wrote today (who has had boots on the ground since the beginning): “Many are waiting to hear the grim news of their loved ones. Some supplies are running thin. Every person here has some degree of shock. Later, we will see what we might have done better. Right now it’s day to day.
“They have been shipping out tourists 15,000 a day. Helicopters and boats are shuttling supplies. And the fires are still burning near here, threatening homes. Some are looting and causing chaos.
“Many are stepping up with generous hearts. One of my friends is housing 17 evacuees.”
Lahaina will rebuild. Already groups are forming to protect the burned ancestral homes and lands from the speculators with billions in cash who are already moving in and nosing around. The Maui Ohana, the entire Maui Community, has stepped up in a huge way to take care of folks with basic necessities – socks, underwear, toothbrushes, toothpaste, water, baby supplies, pet supplies.
They are way ahead of any government aid. People all across Hawai’i, the US Mainland, and the world, are pouring in donations, shipping the needed supplies to distribution volunteers, offers of places to stay, veterinarians without borders… mental health professionals… the list is long.
This huge outpouring of love and care helps us all feel the possibility of healing and forgiveness that will take many years. Maui is strong. The community is strong. But no one can do this alone. Help will be needed for months to come – probably for years. The people affected the most are the ones with the least.
We are hopeful. We feel the love of the Ohana, and we grieve deeply, all at the same time.
First things first – find and help those who escaped the fires.
If you feel like sharing your love and support for the people of Lahaina and Maui, see the best donation ideas favored by the local people In-The-Know: hawaiicommunityfoundation.org – mauirapidresponse.org
Right now, basics are needed and many people are ordering items and sending them directly to Maui.
Mauians are leery of corporate donations because, apparently, they have not seen anything so far. We can direct you on what to send and where to send it if you are moved to do so. There are also many GoFundMe’s for families that got out but lost everything. Let us know if you would like to help.
Mahalo Nui Loa (thank you very much)
E malama pono (do the right thing)
Aloha
Peter (aka Prem Aniruddha, Rudy) (facebook.com – peterdouglasblack.com) and Sugandha (facebook.com – linktr.ee)
Featured image credit to Javier Cantellops with many thanks
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