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| Mauna Kahālāwai as seen from Wailuku, Maui, Hawaiʻi |
"We travel ma uka to the mountain
range known traditionally as Mauna Kahālāwai, The West Maui Mountains.
The older of Maui’s two volcanoes, Mauna Kahālāwai is the backdrop of
the district known as Nā Wai 'Ehā, the four famous waters of Maui. It
is a composition of dark basalts formed from pāhoehoe lava eruptions and
it stretches 18 miles long and 15 miles wide. Kahālāwai dates back
some 1.3 million years. Literally, Kahālāwai translates as “the meeting
of the waters.” There are many peaks and ridges within Kahālāwai, but
its highest peak, Pu'u Kukui, stands 5,788 ft. and is located in the
upper regions of the mountain on the Western end. It literally means
"hill of light or enlightenment" and is used in poetry as a metaphor
symbolizing a beacon of light illuminating Kahālāwai. From Kahālāwai comes Ka Wai Ola,
the life giving waters of Kāne, the source of water that supports
Central, South and West Maui. Mauna Kahālāwai is a glorious and
beautiful mountain range with diverse topography ranging from lush,
green landscapes to drier, red toned terrain, but it is not only
esthetically pleasing, it is kūpuna, considered to be an ancestor of our
race. Stop for a moment and take some time today to enjoy the splendor
of Mauna Kahālāwai." - Luana Kawaʻa, Kumu Hula & Hawaiian Protocol Specialist