Sunday, December 24, 2017 33 Kalepa Baybayan, left, Ka‘iu Kimura, center, and Yu Yok Pearring stand near a Polynesian canoe exhibit at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. HOLLYN JOHNSON/Tribune-Herald ‘Big Bang versus Kumulipo’ ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center strikes unique balance between science, Hawaiian culture Growing up in Waimea, Ka‘iu Kimura didn’t know much about the work astronomers did on Maunakea or about those who lived in the small community. “I think when astronomy began it was all about the research and accessing Maunakea as the best place on Earth to study the universe from,” said Kimura, director of the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. “And I think as the years moved on, as the decades moved on, the community became more involved, more concerned with what was happening on Maunakea. And out of that conversation came this idea to build an education center that would have these perspectives.” That place became ‘Imiloa, which opened in 2006 with the mission of bringing modern astronomy and the Hawaiian culture together, and better communicating benefits of the research on the mountain to the public. Sitting at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the 40,000-square-foot center includes three titanium cones representing the island’s largest mountains, easily setting it apart architecturally from other buildings on campus. Inside, it hosts a 3-D planetarium and exhibits on astronomy and Hawaiian culture, including those highlighting traditional Hawaiian navigation. In the last fiscal year, the facility welcomed 61,000 people, according to ‘Imiloa. “Our mission is to provide a balanced perspective between astronomy and culture,” said Kalepa Baybayan, ‘Imiloa’s resident navigator. “For example, the idea of how the universe came together, we have the Big Bang theory and we have the Kumulipo (a Hawaiian creation chant). It’s shared space.” Baybayan, a master navigator and Hokulea captain, said he sees a “metaphoric relationship” between traditional Hawaiian navigation and astronomy on Maunakea. “We are both very interested in celestial bodies,” he said. By TOM CALLIS Hawaii Tribune-Herald See ‘IMILOA Page 34 Hawaii Tribune-Herald
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