A Hidden History Etched in Stone

How many travellers must miss it, while travelling the Honoapi'ilani Highway (Rt 30) the only public road from Lahaina towards South Maui.
About a quarter of the way between Kihei and Lahaina is a town by the name of Olowalu. It was here that a well documented battle took place, one that would go down in history as the Olowalu Massacre.

Today, while driving through this stretch of Rt. 30, Olowalu is easy to miss. On the mauka side, a small lot can be found with two structures; The Olowalu General Store and a French restaurant named Chez Paul. Some half a mile behind the general store, a piece of Hawaiian history is preserved.

When you've spotted the water tower behind the store, you'll know to follow the trail behind it; the trail that leads towards the mountain. To your right can be found a new development; a startling reminder of how the modern continuously encroaches upon the old.


Petroglyphs- carvings etched in stone- were a method of communication among the ancient Hawaiians. Until the arrival of the missionaries in the late eighteenth century, the Hawaiian language could not be expressed in written letters. Thus petroglyphs were used to tell stories. There are many good examples of preserved petroglyphs to be found on the Hawaiian Islands, and some of the best are here in Olowalu.

After about a half mile walk along the trail, away from the general store, a sheer rock wall can be seen on the right. It's on this wall where the petroglyphs can be found. Some time ago a viewing platform was constructed to give visitors a better look, but this has since deteriorated and is now pretty much unsafe. This doesn't stop the curious from climbing it anyway, at their own risk. Sadly, those who don't respect the history of these preserved artifacts have given in to etching their own, more modern, engravings in the style of the petroglyphs. Fortunately it's easy to tell the authentic from the fake, and it doesn't take away from the link to the past one feels when at the site.

The Olowalu petroglyphs are a hidden history, but worth seeking out, for anyone looking to onnect to the past of Hawai'i.