“I'm going to this event, but I'm representing more than myself. I'm representing Hawaii in there,” said comedian Kermet Apio. “I mean, there's very little I'm able to do. And so to be able to take my limited job skill and utilize it in that first week, it meant the world to me.”
Throughout Southern California, musicians, dancers and comedians have used their art to raise money for those who are struggling in Lahaina of Maui County, Hawaii. Many of these entertainers, along with people behind the scenes, used the performances and events as an opportunity to bring people closer together and shed some light during a time of despair.
On Aug. 8, wildfires spread throughout the seaside city of Lahaina killing a total of 97 residents, according to the Maui police department. Along with the death toll, the Maui police department stated that 12 people are still unaccounted for following the aftermath of the wildfires. Sources say that the initial cause of the wildfires may result from a combination of faulty power lines and severe weather conditions, but the investigation still remains.
As of Oct. 8, the island of Maui reopened tourism for those looking to visit, but only on the west side of the island. With strict travel rules and only a select number of hotels being open for tourists, the fight for a full recovery still stands as many continue to promote funds and donations for Lahaina. Along with tourism, the students of Lahaina are looking to go back to their original school campuses starting next week after many schools relocated to nearby institutions or went online for the two month period following the fires in August.
Lahaina’s significance stems from its connection to Hawaii’s culture and rich history. In the Hawaiian language, the word “Lahaina” refers to “merciless sun.” It previously served as the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom and acts as a representation of the transformations Hawaii has undergone over time. Locals see the town as a connection to their ancestors and who they are.
Madelyn McKeague, policy manager of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) located on the westside of Oahu, Hawaii in Kapolei, was shocked at the sudden news coming from Oahu’s neighboring island and was quick to jump on any startup plans to support the needs of the locals. Making sure to take into consideration the necessities of the people, rather than any sort of assumption.
“It's only been two months and that seems like both an eternity and a blip of an eye,” said McKeague. “We have some families who have been in Lahaina for a minimum of nine generations, like they can count back nine generations and say, ‘That's how long we've been here.’ And those are the people I think that should be making a majority of the decisions, or at least the visions that we should be listening to.”
The Common Kings, a Polynesian reggae group using hints of rock and pop to create their “island sound,” created their “Road to Maui” tour to do their part in supporting those in Maui. From ticket revenue, to donations, the group traveled all over the nation to perform for fans, sending a portion of their proceeds to the Kīnā’ole Foundation’s Road to Maui Fund . With concerts starting back on Sep. 1, the Common Kings look to continue their tour throughout the month of October, with their last show being on Oct. 28 for a community event held in Maui.
On Aug. 28, The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, California compiled a star-studded lineup for their fundraiser “Laughs for Lahaina.” Comedian Willie Simon partnered with the Comedy Store event coordinators to create a night filled with jokes and smiles. The event also provided a platform for comedians to speak about Lahaina and how audience members can get involved with donations and fundraising.
Kermet Apio was originally skeptical about performing for the Laughs for Lahaina event because of concerns about appropriation. In a time of tragedy, Apio had to find a balance between cracking jokes and being serious during his routine to make sure no one thought of him as disrespectful or unthoughtful.
“I don't want to, you know, tell jokes while people are going through this tragedy,” Apio said. “So I contacted some comedian friends of mine and they said, ‘You shouldn't feel guilty for giving people an hour and a half off of just kind of relaxing and laughing and you should still do the show’.”
Simon took a different approach to the show as he played the role of the host. Stepping out of the spotlight, Simon was unsure of how the event would go because he had never coordinated an event quite like this one.
“It's hard to try to laugh at stuff when you're hurting. But when you can, it's that much better,” Simon said. “It definitely felt like the biggest event of my life. I think that pride really made sure that we gave it our best effort and, you know, really tried our best to help people out.”
With both comedians from Hawaii, Simon and Apio knew that they had to continue their support for those in Maui after the event. Simon is looking to set up additional benefit comedy events possibly in Jan. 2024 back in Maui. And although Apio has nothing set up yet, he is hoping to help coordinate a second round of fundraiser events across the nation to keep fighting for Lahaina.
Solid Old Sundays is an LA organization built around uniting people through dance. Their slogan, “Community healing community through dance,” acts as a guideline towards all events providing good vibes for mental wellness, embodiment and a sense of belonging for anyone.
On Sep. 10, Solid Old Sundays created a fundraiser, “Be Kind, Rewind Dance Party,” geared towards providing for those in Maui, and having people come together and have a good time. Everyone who performed or was a part of creating the event connected to Hawaii in some way whether they worked there previously, have family there or were born there. With its playlist consisting of pop music from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, to present day pop favorites and even a little Hawaiian reggae, the “small but mighty bunch” took over General Lee’s Cocktail House in LA’s Chinatown.
