The name of the island comes from the famous demigod of Polynesian myth, Maui. There are many tales of Maui, and most of them describe his superhuman feats and his reputation as a rascal. Among his many deeds were his fishing of the Hawaiian Islands out of the ocean. Another interesting tale describes how Maui lengthened the day by going up to Haleakala and snaring the sun, thus causing it to slow down.

Archaeologists aren't sure exactly when people first colonized Maui. Evidence suggests that the windward coasts were probably well settled early on, perhaps by the eighth century A.D., followed somewhat later by settlements on the drier leeward slopes. Interestingly, some of the earliest radiocarbon dates for the island come from a rock shelter up in Haleakala Crater, where people were gathering stone for the making of tools or perhaps visiting for religious purposes.

The Rulers of Maui

Portions of the early history of Maui have been passed down through the ages, and there are tales of intense and sometimes violent rivalries between chiefs on the island and between Maui and neighbors such as Oahu and the island of Hawaii. There were times when the island was unified under such great chiefs as Pi'ilani, while at other times, the chiefs battled or the island was partially controlled by outsiders.

The last great Maui chief was named Kahekili, who not only ruled over his own island but conquered Oahu, Molokai, and Lanai. His brother was the ruling chief of Kauai. Kahekili's archrival was the chief Kalani'opu'u of the island of Hawaii, and great battles were fought between the two.

After the death of Kalani'opu'u, a successor, Kamehameha, continued the struggle with the long-lived Kahekili. With the help of modern Western weaponry, ships, and advisors, Kamehameha set out to conquer Maui in his quest to unite all the Hawaiian islands. His victory in a bloody 1790 skirmish was a turning point, and by 1794 Maui was incorporated into the greater Hawaiian kingdom.

Colonization of the Island

Captain Cook encountered Maui in 1778 but never went ashore, although many Hawaiians came out to his ship with gifts and provisions for trade. The first Europeans known to have stepped foot on Maui were with the French expedition of Jean François Galaup, Compte de la Pérouse. The expedition arrived in 1786, procured provisions, and made some interesting observations about island life at that time. The English explorer, Captain George Vancouver, visited the islands in 1793–1794 and even tried to initiate diplomacy to resolve disputes between the rival island chiefs.

Missionaries came to Maui in the early 1820s, settling in at the pleasant fishing village of Lahaina at about the same time that the whaling industry was becoming established. Lahaina grew as the little town became widely known as a delightful oasis in the transpacific trade in sandalwood, furs, and whale products.

During the mid-nineteenth century, hundreds of ships anchored off Lahaina for provisions and relaxation. There were a number of conflicts between the sailors seeking booze and women and the missionaries and town leaders who preferred to keep things a bit more pious and quiet. Although not particularly successful in quieting the rowdy visitors, the missionaries were successful in a number of areas, including establishing the Lahainaluna School in 1831, which became the first high school west of the Rockies and a major center of learning.

The Island's Economy

As whaling began to die out around the time of the American Civil War, a new commercial area began to expand on Maui: sugar. Sugar barons such as Claus Spreckels, H. P. Baldwin, and S. Alexander started huge plantations with sophisticated processing mills and impressive irrigation systems. Although the sugar industry in the islands has since greatly declined, the Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company survives today as the largest such operation — it's one of two remaining in Hawaii and the only one left on Maui. Ranching, too, got a good start, with Hawaiian paniolo cowboys riding the island's ranges.

Sugar and other crops, such as pineapple, employed a lot of Maui workers during the early twentieth century. During World War II, the island hosted a base and training ground for the heavily decorated Fourth Marine Division. After Hawaiian statehood, tourism began to increasingly develop. Retirees, vacationers, and hippies discovered Maui, and the island became a real favorite. Development accompanied the popularity of the island. Facilities were built at such places as Ka'anapali, Kapalua, and Wailea. Condos and hotels sprouted up to meet the demand, and property prices skyrocketed.