This set of photos represents a 2 week hitch-hiking trip around Maui, going from town to town and staying only in hostels or farms owned by locals. I tried to capture an essence of the island that luxury hotels, tourism packages, and money are unable to give you. Maui in part has escaped the tourism influx seen on the main land of Oahu; but it is quickly catching up as seen by sky-high real estate prices, which is essentially driving local Hawaiians out of the island. While eating breakfast at a local diner, I overheard a few locals saying, “That damn Oprah just had to go and say on her show that she just bought some ‘prime real estate’ on Maui – 3 months later I can barely afford the rent!” Undoubtedly, Maui holds some spectacular views such as Honokalani black-sand beach, Mt. Haleakala volcano, and O’heo Gulch (aka 7 pools of wonder). However there is a way to visit Maui that does not negatively affect local culture or way of life. While Maui is a tropical paradise to some, it is also home to a complex culture of ancestral Hawaiian traditions.

Documentary Photographs by Isabelle Carbonell