Hawaii’s Aloha Spirit – A Celebration of Self

The Author Wants You to Know...

Name: Amber Matsumoto

Location: North Shore, Maui

Age: 31

Astrology: Pisces

Instagram: @iamamberclair

Website: amberclairastrology.com

Photo Credits: Profile image by Renata Voci | Maui by Amber Clair Photography | Old Lahaina by an unknown source

Aloha is more than a word used as a greeting and way to say goodbye, it is a way of life...

Moving back to Maui

It has been a wild time to be here on Maui. Maui is my roots, my foundation and the place that I was born. Fate moved me off the island shortly after I arrived earthside and I’ve spent the last 30 years living on the east coast, knowing that I would someday return.

Thanks to my Saturn Return that kicked off in 2020, Life redirected me home. I recently moved back a few months ago as a leap of faith, to start my life over and reconnect with the missing piece of myself that has always been here on the island. I feel that it is no coincidence that I have been called back here at this time.

The Fires

The fires that occurred on August 8th were absolutely devastating with over a 100 lives lost, 2,000 homes and businesses destroyed, and an entire portion of the island completely leveled to ash. There are still hundreds of people missing and many questions left unanswered:

Why didn’t the sirens go off to warn people? Why was the water shut off? Why were the roads blocked preventing people from fleeing to safety? Why did the Governor issue an emergency proclamation weeks before the fire that gives him unvetted authority to do whatever he wants with the land? What (or who) has caused Lahaina to become dry and arid when it was once a lush wetland that sustained a food forest, abundant water, and fishpond aquaculture?

I am a natural observer and have been doing my best to listen and learn from locals and the land to piece together just how we all got here. It will be a long road to recovery for Maui and I am holding the vision for the ʻāina to be restored and returned back to the people.

The Power of Community

I am grateful to live on the side of the island that was untouched by the fires but the ripple effect has been felt by everyone here. Hawai’i’s economy is largely sustained by tourism which has significantly dropped since the fires. Many local businesses are still trying to recover from 2020 and the fragility of relying on tourism has many questioning if there is another way. And although local businesses are hurting, the outpour of generosity has been incredible to witness. Local restaurants have been donating meals to displaced families and volunteers, shops and boutiques have opened their doors for fire victims to come in and take what they need while other businesses have been donating a portion of their sales to people who lost everything.

The community here is so strong. The speed at which the people came together in the wake of the fires to mobilize and get supplies to those in need far surpassed the aid that came from the outside. And when ‘authorities’ blocked supplies from getting through, the people went by boat and private plane to get the job done. Throughout all of this, one thing has been made abundantly clear: islanders are resilient heart-centered people who can govern themselves.

Hawaiian Culture & The Aloha Spirit

The Aloha Spirit is the root of Hawaiian culture. Aloha is more than a word used as a greeting and way to say goodbye, it is a way of life. The Aloha Spirit is so highly valued that it is actually a state law to treat people with the same care and respect as their ancestors did.

I personally love this quote by Eddie Aikau that summarizes the essence of the Aloha Spirit beautifully. He says

It is prophesied that Hawai’i will become a sovereign nation once again and become a template of what is possible for the rest of the world through this philosophy of aloha.

Another foundation of Hawaiian culture is ‘malama ʻāina,’ which is a phrase that translates to “caring for and honoring the land.” For generations, Maui’s precious stream water has been exploited for profit and development by foreign investors. Private companies diverting water is what caused the arid conditions that fueled the wildfires.

Lahaina was once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom because of its rich water resources. There is currently a resurgence to restore Lahaina to what it once was. I highly recommend checking out the work of Ke’oni Hanalei, Hawaiian native and founder of Pōhala Hawaiian Botanicals to learn more about how you can become involved in Project Moku’ula Return to Piko: https://www.pohala.net/projectmokuula

Ultimately, I believe that the future of life on this island, and the whole Earth for that matter, demands that our way of living be centered around the foundation of a return to nature, to resurrect the organic blueprint and restore the life the land knows to be true.

Pule (prayer) - E iho ana ‘o luna

E iho ana 'o luna

That which is above shall be brought down

E pi'i ana 'o lalo

That which is below shall be brought up

E hui ana nã moku

The islands shall be united

E kû ana ka paia

The natural environment will endure

E ala e Maui, e ala hou e Lahaina (3X)

Maui will rise, Lahaina will rise again (3X)

Support Maui’s Community as They Rebuild

There are many large organizations and funding platforms which are all well and good, but the people of this island have yet to receive these kinds of donations. The best way to support the community is to donate directly to the families impacted. Here are some reputable sources on Instagram:

@lahaina_ohana_venmo

@kula_ohana_venmo

@helpmauirise

@pacificbirthcollective

@mauihumanesociety

@hhhmaui

Donate Here