This summer, nine students from Maui High, King Kekaulike and Baldwin high schools participated in Mahi Pono’s paid summer internship program, where they propagated nearly 2,000 culturally significant plants for Lahaina residents who lost their home gardens that included cherished lei plants during the 2023 wildfires. The project was developed in direct response to community input, aiming to restore greenery, a sense of place, and cultural continuity. The propagated plants include plumeria, crown flower, ti leaf, bougainvillea, and pikake — each holding a cultural and personal significance in Hawaiian tradition, especially lei-making and home gardens throughout Lahaina.
