‘It’s protected’: Historic Maui church lost nearly everything in Aug. 8 fires — except faith
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Historic Waiola Church was near the center of the Hawaiian Kingdom in Lahaina and it is where Christianity started on the island of Maui.
Over its 200 years, the church was destroyed during past disasters — and once again during last year’s Lahaina wildfire.
“Our hale ae, it started to burn. Everything was burning from the top down,” said Tama Kaleleiki, Na Kiai o Wainee.
Kaleleiki is kahu (guardian) of the royal tomb. He took photos of the church’s dining hall in flames around 6:30 that night.
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“The smoke was so black, you could see the akulele, these fire balls, they were just going,” he said.
He knew Waiola Church would be consumed.
“The grief of knowing the inevitable, but we didn’t know that our whole town would be gone,” said Kaleleiki.
Church caretakers hope to rebuild in two years, but say during the Lahaina wildfire, everything inside the church was destroyed including the koa pews, alter and historic documents.
“Sadly because church records were burned, we don’t know where everybody is. Headstones were swept to a corner,” said state Rep. Elle Cochran, who is also part of Na Kiai o Wainee.
Just steps away, more than 1,000 people are laid to rest in the church’s Wainee graveyard, including members of the royal family.
Among the most prominent: Queen Keopuolani, wife of Kamehameha I.
Despite the vicious flames, the entire graveyard was miraculously spared.
“I was actually amazed how much is still in tact,” Cochran said.
“I think I know because of the people who are here, it’s protected,” she added.
This reporter’s great-grandmother, Mary Kaula Shaw Richardson, is buried here too.
Some treasured photos survived.
One photo shows her with Queen Liliuokalani. Her husband was a member of the Queen’s Privy Council.
Church members hope families come forward to help identify unmarked graves and even though the church building is gone, it’s their faith that endures.
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