Hawaii’s history comes to life with performances at Maui’s Waiola Cemetery

LAHAINA (HawaiiNewsNow) — Historic performances return to Maui’s Wainee Cemetery.

The actors portray the heroic inhabitants of Maui through a series of live monologues at sacred burial sites.

“There really is something about hearing history through the voices of the past in places of the past,” said Kimberly Flook, deputy executive director of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation.

Mike Smola, Curator of Public Programs at the Historic Site and Hawaiian Mission Houses Archives, added, “We certainly recognize how special and sacred this place is.”

Lahaina was once the capital of Hawaii. Wainee was the first Christian cemetery in the state.

“We sit on the edge of one of the most significant sites in Hawaiian history,” Flook said.

The foundation has researched influential Maui residents throughout Hawaiian history and developed scripts surrounding their heritage. Then they hired actors to deliver the monologues.

Performances feature women’s rights activist Ethel Baldwin, who was born in the 19th century.

“Her story centers around her work with the women’s suffrage movement here on Maui,” Smola said.

The live game will take place at 535 Wainee Street Thursday through Sunday starting at 6 p.m.

The public can buy their tickets online at www.lahainarestoration.org or by calling Lahaina Restoration Foundation at (808) 661-3262.

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