Walk Into Maui’s History
Discover local stories and hidden history
in Kīhei and Wailuku
by TODD A. VINES • photographs by CHRIS AMUNDSON
Keith DeVey wants everyone to know more about Maui. Twice a week, he offers a free historic walking tour of Kīhei, eager to share the island’s stories with anyone interested.
The founder of Maui Walking Tours launched his outings in March 2024. Early walks attracted modest attention, but word of mouth has since pushed most tours to capacity – about two dozen participants.
“I genuinely believe Maui is the best place on Earth,” DeVey said. “I wanted to start a free walking tour to show visitors why.”
Walking tours are popular in many destinations around the world, drawing travelers who seek authentic experiences and a deeper connection to the places they visit. DeVey is a seasoned city walker, having joined more than 30 tours in places like Reykjavik, Paris, London and Tokyo, as well as cities from San Francisco to Key West. He saw an opportunity to apply the walking-tour formula to Kīhei, inspired by how these experiences had helped him connect more deeply to the places he visited.
DeVey’s one-mile, 90-minute Kīhei walk, which begins at the library and weaves through Kalama Park, feels less like a lecture and more like “talk story” with a local. Topics span what makes South Maui unique – from culturally significant spaces and native flora to marine life, the area’s ties to the U.S. military, the rise and fall of agriculture and the growth of tourism.
The walk also highlights individuals who’ve left their mark on Kīhei. DeVey often shares a black-and-white high school photo of himself with classmate Shane Victorino, the former professional baseball player whose name now adorns Kīhei Little League’s batting cages. He also recounts how he cold-called artist Elan Vital to learn the story behind Vital’s life-sized whale sculpture at the park’s main entrance.
Importantly, DeVey only shares stories he has researched himself or heard firsthand from historians, authors, kūpuna, cultural practitioners, city officials and local architects. He considers it essential to collect and present accurate, well-researched accounts, drawing not just from books but from conversations with community members who help guide the focus of the tours.
In addition to the original Kīhei tour, DeVey launched a free Wailuku History and Street Murals Tour. This 90-minute walk, offered every other Saturday, stops at historic icons like Kaʻahumanu Church and ʻĪao Theater, as well as 11 of the town’s murals, where DeVey explains the artists’ inspiration and the meaning behind their work.
“Both Kīhei and Wailuku have such beautiful and different pasts,” DeVey said, “and I do my best to honor those and bring them to life on the tours.”
While most of his guests are visitors, DeVey has noticed a growing number of residents joining his walks – many of whom enrich the experience with their own stories. On one tour, as DeVey spoke about Vital’s whale sculpture, Pauline Fiene revealed that she’s the “Kalama Park Lei Fairy,” who for 20 years has placed lei on the sculpture every May Day and holiday season.
On another, as DeVey explained traditional Hawaiian land divisions, Vernon Kalanikau – coordinator of the Maui Nui Ahupua‘a Project, which installs ahupua‘a signage across the island – chimed in to share his insights.
After nearly every tour, DeVey said, one or two participants stay behind to share personal stories. “They genuinely love passing on their knowledge, and to be honest, I love hearing them,” he said.
Maui Walking Tours is a one-man operation. While occasional gratuities help support the free tours, it’s clear the program is powered by passion, not profit. DeVey plans to keep it that way, saying he simply wants to share the history entrusted to him and show others why Maui is nō ka ʻoi.
