Gracie Delos Reyes & Kaliko Storer of Lahaina

This recording is part of Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina, our 2025–2026 gathering of richly detailed talk-story recordings created to inform future public artwork, support collective healing, and provide trusted, community-informed guidance for the Lahaina Memorial Project. This mo‘olelo explores the life and community contributions of Gracie Delos Reyes, a Texas native who found her permanent home and ancestral-style roots in Lahaina after arriving as a "free spirit" twenty-two years ago. The narrative traces her evolution from a newcomer sleeping on the beach to becoming an integral part of the multigenerational Delos Reyes ohana, emphasizing how the local paddling culture and the mentorship of elders provided her with a sense of identity and belonging. A significant portion of the dialogue focuses on the Kiaulu Initiative, a grassroots reforestation project led by Gracie and her husband to create environmental fire breaks while reclaiming the "thriving ecosystem" that existed before plantation-era land use.