🧃 When the Ash Settles: Maui’s Indigenous Fight for Land and Legacy

Welcome to The Strawman, the daily climate newsletter that's tackling the tough questions—like how to keep your land when disaster turns developers into vultures.

Fighting Fire with Land Rights

When wildfires tore through Lahaina last year, the devastation wasn’t just environmental, it was a direct hit to Maui's indigenous community, Kanaka Maoli. But even before the embers cooled, developers swooped in. Residents began receiving messages from investors asking if they’d consider selling their land. It was a sharp reminder that, in Hawaii, disaster often doubles as opportunity — for the wrong people.

The community's response has been swift. Activists like Kahala Johnson are working to educate locals about their land rights, which, due to Hawaii's unique legal history, are complex and often misunderstood. Johnson and others fear that while headlines fade, developers will resume their quiet hunt for land, targeting grieving families with offers that seem tempting in the wake of loss. The community is fighting to make sure the real estate market doesn’t turn tragedy into dispossession.

A Legacy of Dispossession

This isn't the first time Hawaii's indigenous population has had to defend their land. Long before the wildfires, Kanaka Maoli were battling systemic land loss. The roots of this struggle stretch back to the 19th century, when American settlers introduced private property concepts alien to native Hawaiians. The 1848 Great Mahele divided the land, mixing traditional stewardship with Western ownership structures. Though designed to protect Hawaiian land, it ultimately opened the door to exploitation.

After the 1893 overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani, these lands were folded into the U.S. public domain and sold off. The result? Generational losses in education, culture, and—most critically — land ownership. Today, corporate giants, hedge funds, and billionaires own large swathes of Maui, inflating prices and squeezing out locals. The fires have only intensified these pressures, leaving families vulnerable to predatory offers and legal loopholes.

The Takeaway

The wildfires may be out, but the battle for Maui’s land is far from over. For the Kanaka Maoli, defending their home is more than a legal fight—it's about preserving a legacy that refuses to be burned away.