33 thoughts on “After Two Fires in 100 Years | Banyan Tree Maui Remains In “Coma””
Cheryl H.
I was born and raised in central Florida and have always loved banyan trees. Whenever we visited St. Petersburg I always begged to go to the park where a relatively large banyan tree was. So when I visited Maui in the 1980’s I had to see the Lahaina Banyan. And it didn’t disappoint. I have fond memories of sitting in the shade of that beautiful tree. May it continue to be a symbol of resiliency for the people of Lahaina.
S Sad,, Prayers for everyone’s recovery..
Lahaina, great memories for me..
Back in the 90’s I took my mom there for her dream trip.. We shopped, ate, in Lahaina and I got my first small butterfly tattoo at a shop there.. Loved the old school feel and look of the town. We walked around, and then,,,, I saw the Banyan tree,,, omg,,, magnificent..
When the news first started coming across about the fire, it was devistating, but I kept looking for news about this awesome tree.. So glad there seems to be hope for it,,, and for the spirit of Lahaina,..
Did It Survive ? ? ?
I noticed CBS Evening News on Sunday the 20th managed to find two Hawai’ians who told Joe Biden to stay away, and that isn’t noteworthy except for my experience over 25 years of visiting the islands. It surely isn’t all aloha among those who’d as soon thumb their noses at haoles & visitors who come with a helpful spirit.. More like the reality “The Descendants” described.
Not that its not rude to tell a sitting president to stay away, but what does this anecdote have to do with the recovery of the epic banyan tree at Lahaina?
Those two “Hawaiians” do not represent all Native Hawaiians or all people living on Maui. Those two may have expressed themselves that way because they’re worn out & tired from the fires &/or from years of frustration stemming from ineffective government & corporate policies that have displaced them in their homeland; or because they realize that the visit by a sitting U.S. President would cause disruptions to the rescue & recovery efforts currently underway on the ground and in the air.
We renewed our wedding vows under the Banyan tree for our 20th anniversary. That was nearly 30 years ago. We had attended a luau at Royal Lahaina with friends. My hubby spontaneously asked our friend who was a pastor if he would do the honors. It was a memorable evening. Our dear friend has since passed away and we grieved for the beloved Banyan tree when we heard it might be lost. So many memories have been made there.
I picked Lahaina as the base for my Maui vacation. I could take the ferry â›´ to Molokai and Lanai. I definitely wanted to see the Banyan tree and took pictures. I hope it makes a glorious comeback.
Our fondest memories circa 2001, were on Saturdays when they had art in the park underneath the tree. Met Michael Stark the artist, there and have been a fan his ever since.
Hope the tree recovers.
Mahalo for all your information about Hawaii, and specifically Lahaina as it recovers
Bill
If the tree survivors, it will be a rallying/spiritual point for all those who lost their loved ones, homes and businesses to this devastating tragedy. It will be one of the remaining reminders of old Lahaina and the resilience of the Hawaiian people. I have come to Maui almost every year since 2008 and this tree is one of the places I always come to to eat an ice cream and marvel in its beauty. There is something truly spiritual about Lahaina.
Man, where do you start to describe the banyan tree. The first time I saw it, I was in awe. Always a must visit on every trip to Maui. Watching the people under the tree, taking pictures of cats lounging in the tree, bringing friends and family to see the huge tree. Just sitting under it and enjoying the respite from the sun. It truly is the symbol of Lahaina and hopefully it’s survival begins the healing and the renaissance of the beloved town.
In Feb 2020, right before Covid hit the mainland, my wife and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary with a visit to the islands of Hawaii, with a particularly memorable photo in front of the banyan tree in Lahaina. We had paradise-level experiences on the islands, and so greatly enjoyed getting to know the locals, the culture, and the history with Maui’s famous banyan tree as a centerpoint. We cry for the people of Maui and with all those going through so much as a result of the fire, and hope the locals and the amazing sites and history can be restored for all to wonder at as we did.
Much love and warm aloha to our ohana in the lovely islands of Hawaii.
I was born and raised in central Florida and have always loved banyan trees. Whenever we visited St. Petersburg I always begged to go to the park where a relatively large banyan tree was. So when I visited Maui in the 1980’s I had to see the Lahaina Banyan. And it didn’t disappoint. I have fond memories of sitting in the shade of that beautiful tree. May it continue to be a symbol of resiliency for the people of Lahaina.
S Sad,, Prayers for everyone’s recovery..
Lahaina, great memories for me..
Back in the 90’s I took my mom there for her dream trip.. We shopped, ate, in Lahaina and I got my first small butterfly tattoo at a shop there.. Loved the old school feel and look of the town. We walked around, and then,,,, I saw the Banyan tree,,, omg,,, magnificent..
When the news first started coming across about the fire, it was devistating, but I kept looking for news about this awesome tree.. So glad there seems to be hope for it,,, and for the spirit of Lahaina,..
Did It Survive ? ? ?
I noticed CBS Evening News on Sunday the 20th managed to find two Hawai’ians who told Joe Biden to stay away, and that isn’t noteworthy except for my experience over 25 years of visiting the islands. It surely isn’t all aloha among those who’d as soon thumb their noses at haoles & visitors who come with a helpful spirit.. More like the reality “The Descendants” described.
Not that its not rude to tell a sitting president to stay away, but what does this anecdote have to do with the recovery of the epic banyan tree at Lahaina?
Those two “Hawaiians” do not represent all Native Hawaiians or all people living on Maui. Those two may have expressed themselves that way because they’re worn out & tired from the fires &/or from years of frustration stemming from ineffective government & corporate policies that have displaced them in their homeland; or because they realize that the visit by a sitting U.S. President would cause disruptions to the rescue & recovery efforts currently underway on the ground and in the air.
True experience isn’t eligible?
We renewed our wedding vows under the Banyan tree for our 20th anniversary. That was nearly 30 years ago. We had attended a luau at Royal Lahaina with friends. My hubby spontaneously asked our friend who was a pastor if he would do the honors. It was a memorable evening. Our dear friend has since passed away and we grieved for the beloved Banyan tree when we heard it might be lost. So many memories have been made there.
I picked Lahaina as the base for my Maui vacation. I could take the ferry â›´ to Molokai and Lanai. I definitely wanted to see the Banyan tree and took pictures. I hope it makes a glorious comeback.
We neeeeeeed that tree to survive. After everything else that happened in and with the fire, we need that tree to rally around.
Our fondest memories circa 2001, were on Saturdays when they had art in the park underneath the tree. Met Michael Stark the artist, there and have been a fan his ever since.
Hope the tree recovers.
Mahalo for all your information about Hawaii, and specifically Lahaina as it recovers
Bill
If the tree survivors, it will be a rallying/spiritual point for all those who lost their loved ones, homes and businesses to this devastating tragedy. It will be one of the remaining reminders of old Lahaina and the resilience of the Hawaiian people. I have come to Maui almost every year since 2008 and this tree is one of the places I always come to to eat an ice cream and marvel in its beauty. There is something truly spiritual about Lahaina.
Man, where do you start to describe the banyan tree. The first time I saw it, I was in awe. Always a must visit on every trip to Maui. Watching the people under the tree, taking pictures of cats lounging in the tree, bringing friends and family to see the huge tree. Just sitting under it and enjoying the respite from the sun. It truly is the symbol of Lahaina and hopefully it’s survival begins the healing and the renaissance of the beloved town.
In Feb 2020, right before Covid hit the mainland, my wife and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary with a visit to the islands of Hawaii, with a particularly memorable photo in front of the banyan tree in Lahaina. We had paradise-level experiences on the islands, and so greatly enjoyed getting to know the locals, the culture, and the history with Maui’s famous banyan tree as a centerpoint. We cry for the people of Maui and with all those going through so much as a result of the fire, and hope the locals and the amazing sites and history can be restored for all to wonder at as we did.
Much love and warm aloha to our ohana in the lovely islands of Hawaii.
Isaiah 43:2