Olowalu is a community on the west side of the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. It is located about south of Lahaina on the Honoapiilani Highway. It sustained a large population, governed by the high chieftess Kalola, daughter of Maui ruler Kekaulike, and grandmother of Keopuolani. It was home to a traditional farming community until the arrival of the Europeans, who replaced it with a sugarcane plantation. The massacre described below, as well as the labor-hungry sandalwood trade, contributed to the site's decline. A substantial real estate development is under consideration for the area. The area is home to one of Hawaii's most unique reefs.