Popular 'Understanding West Maui' video series spotlights history, people who shaped the community

The seven-part video series has already garnered over 250,000 views, highlighting the rich history and culture of West Maui.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A seven-part video series called 'Understanding West Maui' has launched on YouTube, featuring authors and scholars who have explored the land, water, culture and community of West Maui. The series, which stems from The West Maui Book Series, has already garnered over 250,000 views across the seven episodes, far exceeding expectations. The videos showcase unique perspectives on the resilience, history and aloha ʻāina (love of the land) of the region, covering topics like education, governance, tourism, sustainability and cultural identity.

Why it matters

The video series is helping to shine a light on the fascinating local history of West Maui, which is often overshadowed by national and Hollywood content. By highlighting the work of authors and scholars who have researched the area in-depth, the series is providing valuable insights and context that can help explain the current circumstances and challenges facing the community.

The details

The video series is a project of the North Beach-West Maui Benefit Fund, which was incorporated in 2007 to administer improvement projects for the public benefit of the North Beach-West Maui area. The fund supports the publication of The West Maui Book Series, which has grown to 19 titles since it began in 2012. The videos feature authors from the book series discussing their research and findings on topics ranging from place names and cultural knowledge to land use, labor, and the future of transportation in West Maui.

  • The 'Understanding West Maui' video series launched three months ago on YouTube.
  • The West Maui Book Series began in 2012 with a compilation of the proceedings of the Maui County Charter Commission.
  • The first 'real book' in the series, 'Public Access to the Roads and Trails of West Maui' by the late John Van Dyke, was published in 2012.
  • The West Maui Hawaiian speaker series went on until the 2023 Lahaina fire, and then it stopped.
  • Three more books are expected to be published either this year or early next year, which would bring the series to 24 titles.

The players

Alakaʻi Lastimado

The host of the 'Understanding West Maui' video series, who is perhaps best known for his guest hula with Robert Cazimero in 2017 that went viral with 3 million views.

Lance D. Collins

The program director for the North Beach-West Maui Benefit Fund, who spearheaded the 'Understanding West Maui' video series and is the featured author in the series' seventh episode about 'Law, Land & Power.'

Sydney Lehua Laukea

A Native Hawaiian educator, political scientist, award-winning author, and former Miss Lahaina, who is the featured author in the second episode of the video series discussing her book 'Kekaʻa: The Making and Saving of North Beach West Maui.'

Cody Pueo Pata

A kumu hula and author who discusses his book 'ʻOhuʻohu nā Mauna o ʻEʻeka,' which documents more than 1,600 traditional places of Maui Komohana and the cultural knowledge they carry.

Bianca Isaki

The president of the Board of Directors of the North Beach-West Maui Benefit Fund, who discusses her extensive research on land, labor, tourism, agriculture and political power in West Maui during the sixth video of the 'Understanding West Maui' series.

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What they’re saying

“Way, way, way more more popular than we expected.”

— Lance D. Collins, Program Director, North Beach-West Maui Benefit Fund (mauinow.com)

“He's very handsome and he's got like all these fans all over the world. So that may be part of the reason why the view count is high.”

— Lance D. Collins, Program Director, North Beach-West Maui Benefit Fund (mauinow.com)

“If it has a Hawaiian name, it has a Hawaiian story.”

— Aunty Diane Napua Amadeo, Master Lei Maker from Maui (mauinow.com)

“Just calling that place Sprecklesville, the people now have no connection.”

— Cody Pueo Pata, Kumu Hula and Author (mauinow.com)

“One of the most important things that I hope doesn't get too lost is that the series is really supposed to be about the communities of West Maui and be helpful to them.”

— Bianca Isaki, President, Board of Directors, North Beach-West Maui Benefit Fund (mauinow.com)

What’s next

The next round of 'Understanding West Maui' videos, featuring seven more authors, is already in the works. The North Beach-West Maui Benefit Fund plans to continue the video series as long as there is public interest, as the goal is to 'illuminate local history and local issues' and encourage viewers to explore the related books in The West Maui Book Series.

The takeaway

The 'Understanding West Maui' video series is providing a valuable platform to showcase the rich history, culture, and community of West Maui, which is often overshadowed by national and Hollywood content. By highlighting the work of local authors and scholars, the series is helping to preserve and share the fascinating stories and perspectives that shape this unique region of Hawaii.