Historical Investigations in West Maui

How should a history of West Maui be approached? A typical large-scale narrative of West Maui moves from Native Hawaiians to missionaries to sugar to tourism. Whales and tourists come and go. But this type of history may be neither helpful nor insightful. Historical Investigations in West Maui seeks to extend known histories of West Maui in multiple directions. Messy, local histories help to open up the range of possibilities for action by giving us additional insight into the circumstances and conditions that previous generations faced. Historical knowledge helps to frame perceptions that organize space. Local histories therefore help to render visible aspects of historical space and time that have been obscured by overarching dominant narratives and timelines. Local history can disrupt social reproduction, leading to new ways of confronting the past and imagining people, the community, and the world. Making history complicated and messy is a way to question the existing structures of