Under ash: Uncovering Maui’s past

In August of 2023, the tourist epicentre of the Hawaiian island of Maui caught fire and the blaze engulfed 2,000 houses, 800 businesses and took the lives of at least 115 people.

Born and raised on the island of Maui, Pūlama Kaufman returns there with cultural leader Hokulani Holt. They ask questions about the hidden stories of mistreatment, illegal ownership and cultural stripping that may have contributed to seeing Lahaina hidden under ash.

(Photo: Terraced taro fields in Waikapu on Maui show what Lahaina would have looked like 300 years ago. Credit: Audio Always)

An Audio Always production for BBC World Service