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Ask
a Hawaiian about the beauty of their islands, and you will often hear
the phrase "Maui no ka oi"...Maui is the best. Known as the "Valley
Isle" because of its lush terrain and dramatic mountains, Maui is one
of the most popular destinations for travelers in the Pacific Rim. Maui
is also rich in history, especially the old whaling port of Lahaina.
Lahaina, located at the foot of the majestic West Maui Mountains, was
once the seat of government for Kamehameha, the first king of all the
Hawaiian islands. During his reign, into the 19th century, Lahaina
prospered from the lucrative sandalwood trade. Later, Yankee whaling
ships began using the port as a mid-way point to and from the rich
whaling grounds off the coast of Japan. Whaleships generated income for
Lahaina, but the wild breed of men on board these vessels brought
despair, hardship and disease to the islands. Christian missionaries
were soon attracted to the plight of the Hawaiian people. The whalers'
credo of "there's no God west of the Horn" became a moral challenge to
the men and women from New England who sailed to Hawaii to establish
ministries and schools. The missionaries, working with members of
Hawaiian royalty, helped once again to establish order in Lahaina. In
recent years, Lahaina was a beautiful seaport village that included
historic
sites such as The Pioneer Inn (built in 1901), the old Courthouse, many
fine shops,
galleries and gourmet restaurants...and the giant, 150-year-old Banyan
Tree. The brig
"Carthaginian," was for many years a living symbol of Lahaina's
maritime heritage, and was maintained by the Lahaina Restoration
Foundation, an organization responsible for preserving many aspects of
the town's unique past. Serving until 2005 as a whaling museum, she was
sunk to create an artificial reef and is now a popular diving
destination. The entire town of Lahaina burned to the ground in a
devastating wildfire whipped by hurricane winds in August of 2023. But
the indomitable spirit of the Hawaiian people cannot be crushed...Maui
and Lahaina will be back! Until then enjoy this artwork and the way it
used to be.
"Lahaina Harbor at Twilight" is faithfully reproduced as an archival-quality print from
McGehee's original oil painting, each print hand-signed by the
artist. A limited number of pencil remarqued prints of this edition are
also available.
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