by Kathy Stemke

Created on: July 21, 2008   Last Updated: January 16, 2012

When I stepped off the small plane that took me to Maui, a beautiful young lady welcomed me with a necklace of fragrant flowers and a traditional island greeting. That same sense of beauty and peace accompanied me throughout my stay in this island rich in history, breathtaking flora and fauna, exotic foods, endless beaches and unusual wildlife.

Legend tells us that "Maui," the demigod, reached down into the ocean and pulled up the Hawaiian Islands. He then lassoed the sun god, and held him captive until he promised to move slowly through the sky, providing daylight and warmth for the islands. If you're skeptical of that story, I have another. Five million years ago, an undersea eruption created two volcanic mountains. The first, Mauna Kahalawai of west Maui, is now great for hiking, and exploring in bamboo forests, black sand beaches or watery caves. The second, dormant volcano Haleakala, looks like the moon with its smooth, undulating volcanic rock surface. A highlight for visitors is to bike down from the top passing through clouds and exotic landscapes.

We're not quite sure when the first men set foot on Maui. Recent archaeological evidence suggests that the Tahitians found this paradise about 700 AD. For centuries, Maui was divided into separate kingdoms that fought for control. It wasn't until the 15th century that the island was united by King Pi'ilani under a single family. During this time, Maui experienced peace and prosperity.

About 400 years later, Kamehameha the Great, invaded Maui and defeated its last king, Kahekili, in the L'ao valley. The site of this battle is called Kepaniwai, which literally means "stopping the waters," because the bodies of slain warriors were so numerous, they temporarily damned the stream. Today, a tourist attraction, this valley is a monument to these soldiers and the sacred burial ground for many of the royal families. 

The missionaries, who arrived in the 1800's, served as advisors to the royal family; established schools and churches; produced Hawaiian newspapers; fought against certain sinful Hawaiian customs; and paved the way for the production of sandalwood, and sugar. As the sugar industry grew, immigrants from around the world were recruited to work on the plantations, hailing from places as far away as China, Japan, Puerto Rico, Korea, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Germany and Scandinavia. That's why Maui is called the melting pot of the Pacific.

Whales were not plentiful in Hawaiian waters at this

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