Volunteers in the historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii are continuing the effort to keep its iconic 150-year-old banyan tree alive following the devastating Maui fires.
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The Banyan tree in Lahaina is a symbol of historical and cultural significance. The area under this massive tree has been a gathering spot for visitors and locals for over 100 years.
The Iao valley, which is surrounded by the walls of Pu'u Kukui crater, is what remains of the central crater of Mauna Kahalawai - the west Maui volcano. The Iao needle is one of the most sacred places on the entire island of Maui. Ancient Hawaiians honored it as the phallic stone of Kanaloa, god of the ocean.
There's plenty of time to swim and jump from waterfall ledges into deep freshwater pools and learn about the island along the way. Fun, easy, and great for families, or if you are limited on time. Swim (optional) in pools under two waterfalls—10 and 20 feet high.
Lahaina is revered by Native Hawaiians because it has long been the home of Kihawahine, a woman who transformed into a mo?o goddess, or a supernatural shapeshifting lizard in Hawaiian religion.
But of course, Maui wasn't dead. It's said that Tangaroa, the god of the sea, kept him safe in the ocean. He asked jellyfish to gather around the baby and keep him afloat. Tangaroa made sure he made it safely to the shore, where he was found by an old man named Tame-nui-ke-ti-Rangi.