A bill that aims to designate Lahaina as a National Heritage Area took a step forward in Congress this week.

If passed, H.R. 8219 would launch a study of whether the historic Maui town, largely destroyed by fire last August, should be Hawaii’s first National Heritage Area.

Designated by Congress, a National Heritage Area is a place where “natural, cultural and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape,” according to the National Park Service.

The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on the Lahaina National Heritage Area Act on Thursday. Introduced by U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, the bill would direct the National Park Service to study the suitability and feasibility of making Lahaina a National Heritage Area in consultation with state and local partners.

“Lele, or Lahaina, as it has become known, has always been a place of immense historical and cultural importance, serving as the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the birthplace and home to many alii. As we look to rebuild, it is about grounding this place in the history and heritage from which it came,” Tokuda said during the hearing.

Designating the West Maui town as a National Heritage Area would enhance ongoing efforts by lineal descendants and community leaders to preserve Lahaina’s rich history, tradition and culture for future generations, the congresswoman said.  

Gov. Josh Green, in written testimony, said beginning the process of a heritage designation for Lahaina through a feasibility study “would provide an important step in recognition for the people and history of our state.”

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in testimony that the bill’s passage “would not only help us in our efforts to rebuild and bring back Lahaina, but it is also a clear testament to Lahaina’s rich heritage and a recognition of its importance to our people, our history and to Hawaii.”

One of Lahaina’s most prominent cultural leaders, Keeaumoku Kapu, also submitted written testimony in support of the bill.

The fires provide a new opportunity to rebuild and restore Lahaina in a way that reflects its rich history and cultural heritage, Kapu said.

The community has rallied around the restoration of Moku‘ula, considered by many Hawaiians to be a sacred island, once surrounded by the freshwater pond Loko o Mokuhinia, formerly the site of King Kamehameha III’s royal palace, according to Kapu.

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.