Uplifting Maui’s Communities of Care
Paipai i nā kaiāulu aloha o Maui
By: Alisa Manzelli
In what is predicted to be the deadliest wildfire in modern U.S. history, an entire community in Hawaii was completely decimated in less than three hours. While it’s suggested that responders have likely recovered all recognizable remains in the disaster area, officials are shifting their focus on removing hazardous waste from properties affected by the wildfire in an attempt to make the area safe enough for residents to begin returning home. These “everyday-use,” high-risk materials include paints, cleaners, solvents, oils, batteries, fuel, fertilizers, and pesticides–many items thought to contain chemicals like lead, asbestos, arsenic, and even radiologic sources, in some cases. As a result, the “Return to Lahaina” phase will be an uphill battle for the foreseeable future.
“The power is with the people right now,” says Noelani Ahia, activist and co-founder of Maui Medic Healers Hui, a Native Hawaiian team of over 400 volunteers (including doctors, nurses, mental health, cultural, massage, and acupuncture practitioners) focused on providing grassroots, community-driven services to support vulnerable populations in times of distress.
That being said, community education and safety gear is needed immediately, as individuals who search through the rubble without personal protective equipment (PPE) may be exposed to dangerous particles that increase potential health risks such as certain cancers, kidney and liver damage, birth and developmental defects, as well as cognitive impairment. This is especially dangerous if children (in both the prenatal and postnatal life), or those who are immunocompromised (including pregnant and recently pregnant people) become exposed, as even small traces of lead can cause irreversible brain and nervous system damage.
This toxic fallout is not only dangerous to residents and workers, but can also contaminate the land, air, and waters (including both groundwater and drinking water) for several months, or even longer, if not properly cleaned from the soil in a timely manner–thus creating a secondary disaster for this already-devastated small island community. The entire cleanup process could take several months to complete, as the disaster zone poses significant environmental and human safety challenges, and schedules are heavily impacted by daylight and weather (as wind and low humidity can worsen conditions by generating “fugitive dust,” potentially impacting residents living over a mile away from the disaster zone).
The Maui Medic Healers Hui quickly mobilized in response to the devastating Maui fires, and have been working with health care providers on the West Side of the island. Through partnering with these vetted locals working on the frontline, who are familiar with the current cultural landscape and have gained the trust of the local community, we can strengthen Maui’s communities of care, by facilitating safety and education, while specifically addressing Lahaina’s frontline community members and workers.
In Hawaiian culture, people adopt one another into their hearts and their families–a practice referred to as “hānai.” Through the Kaunalewa Hānai Fund, it’s our mission to extend family-like care to partners such as Maui Medic Healers Hui through an islandwide brownfield safe education and offering personal protective equipment such as masks/respirators, gloves, protective clothing/HAZMAT suits, goggles/eye protection, and more. We also aim to provide lead test kits, water filtering devices, as well as air purifiers to the community, as needed. Our priority is the health of those involved in Maui’s disaster recovery. Through the Hānai Fund, we can uplift these communities of care as they establish a sense of normalcy and provide healing.
Through the Hānai Fund, we can help establish a return to normalcy, while uplifting these communities of care as they heal and rebuild.
Kaunalewa was created from “kauna,” a word representing the concept of grounding, and “lewa,” meaning to rise. We are a Native Hawaiian non-profit organization focused on environmental conservation and social justice causes, that deploys a broad base of community projects and initiatives designed to support and empower our local, Native Hawaiian people.