Lahaina trims Halloween activities

WAILUKU Maui's big Halloween blast in Lahaina might shrink this year now that authorities have voted to ban many of its activities.

[MARVIN CAPEN]

Once again, the general public and tourists spacifically are being penalized because of the failure of local government and the police department to remove or cite those few (24 out of 20,000)who are trouble makers.

I expect to read in the near future that the Maui County Cultural Resources Commission is trying to get tourists to return to Lahaina.

It is a shame that a few do-gooders are allowed to make decisions based upon the views of a special interest minority.

[Lou]

Message in this story: If you're a kid, you can wear a costume and march in a parade. If you're an adult, no fun for you.

[wacos101]

The so-called Cultural resurces commission sounds like a denial of free speech to me.

[Robert]

How can anyone squabble this? It's time for respect a hint of dignity to be shown again to this important and historical area. Maybe some people are tired of the continued raping of culture and history and renew respect for what was and what was taken away. I'm no racial wacko, uptight conservative or even Hawaiian, but we did steal this land from the Hawaiians and desecrate this culture. It will never be given back, but maybe we can still preserve some dignity on the islands. Remember, families still live here. Had several thousand drunken tourists running around half-naked, vomiting in the streets and having “special moments” in the shadows of your neighborhood lately? It’s all about doing the right thing and not the selfish thing. Why is it so hard to have good times without being deviant and drunk? Something to consider, that’s all. Mahalo!

[poultier]

Wasn't Lahaina a whaling town? I am sure that the sailors only came to town to shop! I remember the Whaling Sprees that were held in Lahaina back in the early 60’s. They were fun. As with anything else if the laws are being broken make the arrest and let things continue.

[Robert]

wacos101 wrote:

The so-called Cultural resurces commission sounds like a denial of free speech to me.

Ahh, the First Amendment argument. Last bastion of the lawless... grow up and consider other before self.

[angelight]

Great! It was too much of a zoo.

[Slack Key]

Kalei Moikeha said "It just seemed like it was very disrespectful for the HOST CULTURE to allow these stages to be set up in the district."

We have Hawaiian Nights here, yup with Hawaiians. Should I call them and tell them it's disrespectful for the HOST CULTURE to allow this?

[anon]

The funny thing I keep seeing is people blaming tourists for this when the majority of the people there are from Hawaii and a lot of them are of Hawaiian descent.

Even though they turned down the permits the event will still go on anyways so they have prevented nothing. The people applying for the permits were the businesses of Lahaina trying to do their part towards keeping things clean and orderly. Unless the county offers to step in the only people this hurts is the people trying to protect Lahaina.

[enufalready]

Robert wrote:

How can anyone squabble this? It's time for respect a hint of dignity to be shown again to this important and historical area. Maybe some people are tired of the continued raping of culture and history and renew respect for what was and what was taken away. I'm no racial wacko, uptight conservative or even Hawaiian, but we did steal this land from the Hawaiians and desecrate this culture. It will never be given back, but maybe we can still preserve some dignity on the islands. Remember, families still live here. Had several thousand drunken tourists running around half-naked, vomiting in the streets and having “special moments” in the shadows of your neighborhood lately? It’s all about doing the right thing and not the selfish thing. Why is it so hard to have good times without being deviant and drunk? Something to consider, that’s all. Mahalo!

So will LA be closing down Disneyland, its huge sports complexes and assorted parades, like to Rose Bowl? After all, the land was stolen from Mexico and the street racing, bar fighting club patrons are certainly an embarrassment and an insult to the original, indigenous culture.

[kahealani]

enufalready wrote:

<quoted text>
So will LA be closing down Disneyland, its huge sports complexes and assorted parades, like to Rose Bowl? After all, the land was stolen from Mexico and the street racing, bar fighting club patrons are certainly an embarrassment and an insult to the original, indigenous culture.

different ..la is already ruined by people like u..we stillwant to keep something that we respect as u people do not know anything about respecting Hawaiian and Indian lands...it is always about "u people"

[Marauder]

Lou wrote:

Message in this story: If you're a kid, you can wear a costume and march in a parade. If you're an adult, no fun for you.

Wasn't it originally for the kids? The liquor industry began to use it to promote sales. One executive said "we invented Halloween. It's just how an obscure victory in Puebla became another drinking holiday.

[Marauder]

poultier wrote:

Wasn't Lahaina a whaling town? I am sure that the sailors only came to town to shop! I remember the Whaling Sprees that were held in Lahaina back in the early 60’s. They were fun. As with anything else if the laws are being broken make the arrest and let things continue.

Lahaina WAS a whaling town but we don't hunt whales around here, right? I don't think that promoting drunk and disorderly conduct on a large scale is acceptable.

[Inoaole]

The Cultural Resource Commission, which is Maui's official body representing the historical preservation movement, has shown that classism is still alive and well. There is no monolithic Hawaiian culture then or now. The few middle-class self-appointees of Hawaiian culture do not represent all Hawaiians.
The truth here is that there is a big shadow that haunts the Hawaiian middle-class leaders who shut down cultural life in the name of something Hawaiian and that shadow is New England Puritanism. Puritans ban everything, while people truly concerned about controlling bad behavior engage in careful regulation.
The part of the Halloween activities that the Commission actually has authority over is probably the least likely to contribute to any of the "bad" stuff anyhow.
Too bad for Maui, the working class and Hawaiian culture. The only historical thing being preserved in Lahaina is New England Calvinism style governance.

[Anonymous]

This is July...you guys don't have anything better to look forward to?

Boring.

[Von in Aiea]

Actually Halloween should be more like the Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

The hotels are all booked up by the way.

[Marauder]

Anonymous wrote:

This is July...you guys don't have anything better to look forward to?
Boring.

There are some serious costume creations that take months to create. Should have seen the Last Supper costumes and you'll know what I mean.

[enufalready]

kahealani wrote:

<quoted text>different ..la is already ruined by people like u..we stillwant to keep something that we respect as u people do not know anything about respecting Hawaiian and Indian lands...it is always about "u people"

What a silly response. Please learn that attacking someone personally, rather than addressing the point made, only weakens whatever you say. Also, I was being sarcastic to make the point that regulating the behavior of conquering cultures is futile and often counterproductive. I predict that the Halloween antics will continue and there is no way to prohibit them. By the way, should we reinitiate old Hawaiian cultural mandates such as prohibiting women from eating with men, establishing an aristocracy, instituting capital punishment (strangulation and head bashing), and other kinds of practices?

[808TRZ]

Destroy another event. I always come to Maui for the second half of Oct. Mainly for the Haloween in Maui. Looks like Mexico now. Another tourist You won't see or get My money.

[Hold The Mayo]

kahealani wrote:

<quoted text>different ..la is already ruined by people like u..we stillwant to keep something that we respect as u people do not know anything about respecting Hawaiian and Indian lands...it is always about "u people"

Funny... pono, everything you've ever written is about U People. I bet you could find "U people" in a ham sandwich.