Ho‘opono Mauna KeaHo‘opono Mauna Kea

Office of Mauna Kea ManagementUniversity of Hawai‘i at Hilo200 W. Käwili StreetHilo, Hawai‘i 96720

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NEWSLETTER

8 Ho‘opono Mauna Kea – Fall, 2001

‘Mauna Kea: The Temple’ Photo Exhibit at Lyman MuseumISSUE NO. 5, FALL 2001

Office of Mauna Kea Management and the Mauna Kea Management Board

(From left): MKMB Chair Arthur Hoke shares a point with U.S.Sen. Daniel Inouye at a special briefing held at the UH-HiloCampus Center. Also shown: Kahu Ku Mauna spokesperson EdStevens (standing) and special advisor Mauna Roy (seated).

One Mauna Kea; One Connecting PointSenator Inouye Calls for Respect, Cooperation and Unity

See “Senator” on page 5

It was a small but highly significant

gathering held on August 31 at the

UH-Hilo Campus Center private

dining room. Poetically themed,

“Ho‘okahi Mauna Kea, Ho‘okahi Piko

(One Mauna Kea, One Connecting

Point),” by UH-Hilo Hawaiian language

professor Pila Wilson, the luncheon

briefing coordinated by the Office of

Mauna Kea Management (OMKM)

brought together some 45 people inti-

mately involved in the use and manage-

ment of Mauna Kea.

Top decision-makers and opinion

shapers from the astronomy, education

and Hawaiian communities were con-

vened to brief U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye on

the progress being made on issues impact-

ing the sacred mountain, as well as to

listen to Sen. Inouye’s message – which drove home the importance of maintaining a cooperative and

respectful process in all matters pertaining to the use and management of Mauna Kea.

Attendees included members of the Mauna Kea

Management Board (MKMB), Kahu Ku Mauna

Council, Ahahui Ku Mauna, University of Hawai‘i,

OMKM and heads of all observatories situated on

Mauna Kea.

After an opening pule by Pua Kanahele, UH

President Evan Dobelle, UH-Hilo Chancellor Rose

Tseng, OMKM Interim Director Walter Heen, Insti-

tute for Astronomy (IFA) Director Rolf-Peter

Kudritzki, and Kahu Ku Mauna spokesperson Ed

Stevens offered perspectives on Mauna Kea. Heen,

who moderated the event, also offered a Power Point

presentation on the implementation of the Mauna

Kea Science Reserve Master Plan. UH-Hilo Chancel-

lor Tseng presented a Power Point presentationIFA Director Rolf-Peter

Kudritzki

UH President Evan

Dobelle

For someone who arrived in Hawai‘i only three

years ago, Tom Whitney has already traveled

farther into the spiritual heart of the Islands

than many longtime residents have. The journey has been

filled with surprises, says Whitney, who retired from his

occupation as a graphic designer on the mainland before

moving to Hawai‘i to pursue his

passion for photography.

“Photography was my first

love,” he explains, “from around the

time I was in high school.... I have

just enough income to survive on, so

I wanted to go back to the art form

where I started.”

One of Whitney’s first photo-

graphic forays in Hilo was a Merrie

Monarch Festival parade. There, he

captured images of a particularly

distinguished man in the procession

dressed in traditional Hawaiian garb.

His efforts to locate his subject led

him to meet Kimo Pihana, a member

of the Royal Order of Kamehameha.

Impressed by the skill and sin-

cerity of the malihini artist, Pihana

invited Whitney to participate in the

Royal Order of Kamehameha’s sol-

stice ceremony on the summit of

Mauna Kea. Thus began Whitney’s

intimate relationship with Hawaiian cultural practices

on the sacred mountain that has spanned the past three

years.

“I wouldn’t describe myself as an especially spiritual

person,” says Whitney humbly, “but I’m becoming more

so. Being atop Mauna Kea is a thrilling experience. You

can’t help but feel as though you are communicating to

the Universe – to some higher power.”

Whitney combines his photographic skills with his

design background to produce spectacular digital

collages of images he has captured on his many trips to

Mauna Kea. “I don’t see photogra-

phy as an art for art’s sake,” he

explains. “I believe it should serve a

social function. I hope that these

images can provide a glimpse into

how deeply Hawaiian spiritual

feelings run – especially for those

audiences who may not be aware.”

An exhibit of Whitney’s photos

will be shown at the Lyman Museum

in Hilo from Nov. 15, 2001 to March

15, 2002. “This is not my show,”

Whitney emphasizes. “This exhibit is

about contemporary traditional

Hawaiian spiritual practices on

Mauna Kea. The images are mine,

but the words are by my Hawaiian

friends.”

“Mauna Kea: The Temple” has

received the endorsement of the

Royal Order of Kamehameha, along

with other Hawaiian organizations.

Whitney also gratefully acknowl-

edges the support of the Institute for Astronomy in Hilo,

whose equipment was donated to produce the high

quality digital prints featured in the show. Whitney’s art,

it seems, is already serving as a bridge and catalyst for

cooperation.

Photographer Tom Whitney’s imagesare combined with text from Hawai-ian cultural practitioners in theexhibit, “Mauna Kea: The Temple,”showing at the Lyman Museum inHilo through through March 2002.

Ho‘opono Mauna Kea – Fall, 2001 7

Management Processis in Good Hands

2 Ho‘opono Mauna Kea – Fall, 2001

Chancellor’s Column

By Dr. Rose Tseng, ChancellorUniversity of Hawai‘i at Hilo

Kahu Kü Mauna

Council Meets on Mauna Kea to Refine Goals

“Heen’s extensive experienceas an attorney, judge,

legislator and arbitrator helpedto bridge many unforeseenobstacles in the process.”

On October 26th and

27, the Kahu Ku

Mauna Council held

an overnight workshop retreat at

Hale Pohaku on the southeast

slope of Mauna Kea.

The workshop was facilitated

by Patricia Brandt of Honolulu.

The agenda included fine-tuning

the Council’s Vision Statement,

and to bring into focus a wide

range of subjects the Council will

be working on.

Participants in the recent Kahu Ku Mauna retreat included (seated,left-right): Reynolds Kamakawiwo‘ole, Pua Kanahele, KihalaniSpringer and Ululani Sherlock. (Standing, left-right) are: facilitatorPatricia Brandt, MKMB chair Arthur Hoke, Larry Kimura, MikahalaRoy, Ed Stevens and recording secretary Betty Stevens.

Ho‘opono Mauna Kea is a

quarterly publication of the Office ofMauna Kea Management (OMKM).It is produced in close cooperationwith Mauna Kea ManagementBoard (MKMB) and Kahu Ku MaunaCouncil.

The opinions contained in thispublication do not necessarily reflectthe views of OMKM, MKMB, Kahu KuMauna Council or the University ofHawai‘i.

Suggestions, submissions andopinions are welcomed. We reservethe right to edit all submissions forlength and appropriateness ofcontent.

To receive a free subscription tothe Ho‘opono Mauna Keanewsletter, send your name andaddress to:

Office of Mauna Kea ManagementUniversity of Hawai‘i, Hilo

200 W. Käwili StreetHilo, Hawai‘i 96720

You may also fax your name andaddress to the OMKM at: (808) 933-3208, or e-mail the Office at:omkm@maunakea.hawaii.edu

Mauna Kea Management Board(MKMB) Members:Heather Cole Rob PachecoHarry Yada Barbara RobertsonArthur Hoke Barry TaniguchiJim Kennedy

Kahu Ku Mauna Council Members:Reynolds Kamakawiwo‘oleLarry Kimura Ululani SherlockPua Kanahele Ed StevensMikahala Roy Kihalani Springer

Mission Statement:“Achieve harmony, balance andtrust in the sustainable managementand stewardship of the Mauna KeaScience Reserve through communityinvolvement and programs thatprotect, preserve and enhance thenatural, cultural and recreationalresources of Mauna Kea whileproviding a world-class centerdedicated to education, researchand astronomy.”

(Below, left-right): Hannah KihalaniSpringer, Ululani Sherlock and

Mikahala Roy listen attentively todiscussion; (Below, left): Reynolds

Kamakawiwo‘ole and PuaKanahele contribute to Council

deliberations; (Left) Patricia Brandtrecords suggestions by Council

members onto a flip chart.

The complex process of managing

Mauna Kea reached another significant

milestone last month, when Bill

Stormont officially assumed the position of

director of the Office of Mauna Kea Management (OMKM).

The selection process was driven by a special search committee, as well as

input and recommendations from the Mauna Kea Management Board and Kahu

Ku Mauna Council. The importance of the OMKM and its director in the

successful implementation of the Master Plan demanded that such broad partici-

pation be solicited.

In Bill Stormont, the OMKM has found a combination of youth and consid-

erable land management experience. For the past 10 years, he has overseen the

state’s Natural Area

Reserve System (NARS)

components on the Big

Island, including the

significant NARS parcel

on Mauna Kea. This

close familiarity with the

land, its history and

ecology will serve

Stormont well in his new role as OMKM director.

At his important juncture, we would be remiss if we did not publicly thank

Interim Director Walter Heen for having guided the Office from inception to

present. When the UH Board of Regents handed management responsibilities of

Mauna Kea over to UH-Hilo a short 15 months ago, we were faced with a

voluminous Master Plan document — but little else.

Within a few short months, working in close cooperation with the MKMB

and Kahu Ku Mauna Council, the OMKM had accomplished a great deal by

way of interpreting its role relative to the Master Plan. Countless hours were

spent interfacing with numerous other institutions, agencies and members of the

general public with a stake in the welfare of the mountain, developing a mission

statement, and building a workable budget and committee structure through

which to accomplish its objectives.

Heen’s extensive experience as an attorney, judge, legislator and arbitrator

helped to bridge many unforeseen obstacles in the process. His calm demeanor,

stature in the community, and commitment to the principles of fair play helped

to convince many skeptics that this process is more than mere words. More than

any single accomplishment, I believe gaining the public’s trust in a totally new

process has been Judge Heen’s greatest contribution. We look forward to his

continuing involvement as a respected advisor to the Office.

Much work still lies ahead, but the foundation laid by Walter Heen and the

promise for continued growth and improvement represented by Bill Stormont

bode well for the future of the OMKM.

with Kahu Ku Mauna in proposing a protocol to be ob-

served by all who go onto the mountain. Kahu Ku Mauna

and the Hawaiian Culture Committee connect OMKM

and MKMB with the Hawaiian community. We expect to

get some funding from the federal government and the

University of Hawai‘i for programs directed at educating

the community about the cultural, environmental and sci-

entific significance of Mauna Kea. OMKM intends to in-

volve the Native Hawaiian community, through Kahu Ku

Mauna, an integral and important participant and advisor

in OMKM proceedings, in the development of these pro-

grams.

The Astronomy Education Committee maintains con-

tact with astronomy education activities and programs

conducted by the University, public and private school

educators, and observatory outreach initiatives. Our ef-

forts here will be to correlate and coordinate the education

activities so there will be minimum amount of overlap and

redundancy. We also confer with the people conducting

those educational efforts to ensure that they include a

component addressing Hawaiian educational concerns and

the relationship between ancient Hawaiians and celestial

navigation. I point out here that OMKM did not establish

a separate Hawaiian education committee. It was the con-

sensus of OMKM and MKMB that the programs estab-

lished by each committee should emphasize education

generally and Hawaiian education particularly.

Environment on the mountain is a wide-ranging sub-

ject and impinges on all activities from science research,

to protection of cultural and archaeological sites, to recre-

ation and commercial tours. The members of the Environ-

ment Committee have been assigned tasks of suggesting

programs for protecting and preserving areas and subjects

of environmental concern.

We anticipate that the recently installed ranger/guide

6 Ho‘opono Mauna Kea – Fall, 2001 Ho‘opono Mauna Kea – Fall, 2001 3

MAUNA KEA UPDATES Interim Director’s Report

By Walter Heen, Interim DirectorOffice of Mauna Kea Management

Passing the Baton

Continued on page 5

Mauna Kea Users’ Committee Meets at Waikoloa

Heen: “From our very firstdiscussions of the Master Plan and

the operations of OMKM, it wasclear to OMKM and MKMB that ourprimary task was to gain the trust

of the community.”

(Seated, left-right): Keiko Sekiguchi, Ian Robson, HiltonLewis and Richard Wainscoat.(Standing, left-right): Kaz Sekiguchi, Norma Heen,Stephanie Nagata and Walter Heen.

Congratulations to Bill Stormont who, on Oc-

tober 22, became the permanent Director of

the Office of Mauna Kea Management. As

we pass the baton to him, I thought it would be helpful to

go over just a few of OMKM’s activities during the 15

months that I was in charge of the office and describe how

they will be founda-

tional for Bill’s task

ahead.

Some articles in

previous newsletters

have intimated that

one objective of the

office is to establish a

milieu in which the

observatories are no

longer perceived as

the sole concern in

management of the

competing interests on

the sacred mountain.

Whether fair or unfair, that perception still exists and is

disruptive of endeavors to bring the general community,

particularly the Hawaiian community, to believe that

“things will be different.” Expunging that perception will

be a long, hard process and only time will tell whether the

management structure will be successful.

In our effort to assure the community that manage-

ment on the mountain has taken a new turn, OMKM has

installed a committee structure that we expect will provide

a foundation to support management oversight and provide

protection for and enhancement of the history, cultural

heritage, environment, recreation and research activities

that are taking place and are reasonably foreseeable. Previ-

ous articles have discussed the formation of those commit-

tees: Hawaiian Culture, Environment, Astronomy Educa-

tion, and Public Safety and Conduct. In addition, we main-

tain contact with the observatories through their outreach

committee and, of course, work closely with the Mauna

Kea Support Services.

The Hawaiian Culture Committee is in the process of

developing a brochure for the edification of visitors and is

assisting in preparing an orientation program on Hawaiian

history and culture to be presented to observatory employ-

ees. We also expect that this committee will work closely

CDUA Filed for OutriggerTelescopes

The University of Hawai‘i (UH) has informed the OMKM

that a Conservation District Use Application (CDUA) for the

development of the outrigger telescopes to used in conjunction

with the existing Keck telescopes was filed with the Department

of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) on October 23.

The CDUA was filed by UH through the Institute for

Astronomy (IFA), and must be approved by the DLNR before

construction of the outriggers can proceed. The CDUA will be

referred to the staff of the DLNR and other state agencies for

review to ensure that all requirements of state law regarding

development activities on state land are complied with.

The U.S. Department of Labor has appropriated $250,000

for use by the OMKM to implement training programs. The

funds, which come from the DOL’s Rural Development Fund,

will be used in part to provide training for the Office’s ranger-

guide program on Mauna Kea.

The OMKM is also working with the Hawai‘i Community

College in Hilo to develop its machinists training program. The

need for skilled machinists has been identified as an area of

potential employment within the astronomy industry.

Leonid Meteor Shower Drawsa Big Audience

An estimated 1,000 visitors made the trek up to the Visitor

Information Station (VIS) on Mauna Kea on November 17 to

gain a stellar view of the much-anticipated Leonid Meteor

Shower. VIS manager David Byrne was well prepared for the

onslaught of viewers, staffing the VIS from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the

following morning. Conditions for this year’s viewing were

expected to be especially favorable to see the spectacular debris

tail left by Comet Temple-Tuttle in 1766.

Dark, clear skies are almost always available at the VIS,

located at the 9,300-foot level. Four staff and 20 volunteers

helped to handle the crowd, which arrived in approximately 250

or 350 vehicles. Maka‘ainana (ranger-guides) were stationed at

the VIS and at the summit to control traffic.

“We are pleased to report that there were no accidents or

problems of any kind,” Byrne reported. “It was a very well-

behaved group – with hardly any trash was left behind.”

NASA Hosts ‘Town HallMeetings’ on Big Island

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA) held a series of four town hall meetings at various

locations on Hawai‘i in October. The meetings, organized in

conjunction with the Keck Observatory, were designed to pro-

vide the public with an opportunity to comment on the proposed

outrigger telescope project on Mauna Kea.

The first of the town meetings was held on October 1 at the

Kona Outdoor Circle in Kailua-Kona. That was followed on

October 2 at the Waimea Community Center and on October 3

and 4 at UH-Hilo Campus Center Dining Room. A total of

approximately 85 people attended the four meetings.

“It was an opportunity to share information, answer ques-

tions, and to listen to the thoughts and opinions from the gen-

eral public,” noted NASA representative John Lee.

The Mauna Kea Users’ Committee held its annual

meeting on October 4 and 5 at the Outrigger Waikoloa

Beach hotel in South Kohala. The event – organized by the

UH Institute for Astronomy – brings together scientists

and observatory directors, and provides an opportunity for

all of the institutions to share information on the use of the

mountain, update each other on the status of their current

work, and discuss other common problems and interests.

This year’s meeting included presentations by the

Office of Mauna Kea Management, Mauna Kea As-

tronomy Education Center, and the Mauna Kea Observato-

ries Outreach Committee.

“These meetings are extremely constructive,” noted

IFA Director Rolf-Peter Kudrizki. “Presiding over these

meetings, I am always impressed by the spirit of scientific

collaboration and mutual support shown for each other.

This is absolutely essential towards maintaining the

highest quality of scientific endeavors to continue on

Mauna Kea.”

OMKM Receives Federal Train-ing Funds

4 Ho‘opono Mauna Kea – Fall, 2001 Ho‘opono Mauna Kea – Fall, 2001 5

Bill Stormont:Mauna Kea is Part of OMKM Director’s Life

See “Stormont,” continued on next page

Stormont, Continued from Page 4

Ever since his family moved from Honolulu to

the Big Island when he was just 6 months

old, Mauna Kea has been a part of William

(Bill) Stormont’s life. The move to Hilo was a home-

coming for Stormont’s mother, Katharine, whose Wessel

family roots are well established on the Big Island.

“Mauna Kea has always been on my mind,”

Stormont explains. “You wake up every morning, look

up, and there it is – as if it was an extension of your

backyard,” he says, as his relationship with the great

mountain enters yet another

phase. On August 31, University

of Hawai‘i President Evan

Dobelle officially announced

the appointment of the 41-year-

old Stormont as director of the

Office of Mauna Kea Manage-

ment (OMKM).

Like all meaningful rela-

tionships, Stormont’s involve-

ment with Mauna Kea has

evolved steadily over the years.

As a student at Hilo High

School, he spent several sum-

mers on the mountain as a

member of the Youth Conserva-

tion Corps. The hands-on

experience of working to

preserve the unique Mauna Kea

silversword and other environ-

mental elements altered the

course of the young man’s life.

“I realized then that this (type of work) would make a

great career,” he says.

After graduating from high school in 1978,

Stormont pursued his ambitions and earned a Bachelor’s

degree in wildland recreational management from the

University of Idaho. He returned to Hawai‘i in 1983. In

1986, he began working for the Division of Forestry and

Wildlife, a division of the state Department of Land and

Natural Resources. For the past 10 years, Stormont has

managed the state’s Natural Area Reserve System

(NARS) components on the Big Island, where 75

percent of the NAR System acreage is located. The

3,800-acre Mauna Kea Ice Age natural area reserve on

the summit of Mauna Kea is one of eight NARS sites on

the island.

tween all users and make everyone aware.”

These days, Stormont still awakens each day to the

sight of Mauna Kea from his bedroom window, peeking

through a banana patch in his yard. Somehow, the

sacred mountain now looms even larger as a dominant

presence in his life.

program will provide us with valuable information to assist the committees in their endeavors. Even now, the rangers keep

us informed about the kinds and extent of “on the ground” activities on Mauna Kea, which will form the basis for estab-

lishing programs for better management of tourist and commercial tour activities. Before too long, we can expect that the

rangers will be able to monitor and manage snow activities. Through the good offices of U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, we

have received a commitment for federal funds for a training program for the rangers.

From our very first discussions of the Master Plan and the operations of OMKM, it was clear to OMKM and MKMB

that our primary task was to gain the trust of the community. We have tried to do that by constantly displaying our deter-

mination to make the Master Plan work for the benefit of all the community. We have been especially careful to show to

the Native Hawaiian community that the resources of the sacred mountain will not be exploited to the extent and in the

manner they were in the past and that their cultural heritage will be protected.

I am certain that Bill Stormont will continue OMKM that same path.

During this period, Stormont witnessed close-up the

construction of larger and more sophisticated observa-

tory facilities on the summit. He read with concern the

Legislative Auditor’s report critical of the University’s

management of the Science Reserve, and followed the

contentious Master Plan process that followed.

The establishment of the OMKM, Mauna Kea

Management Board (MKMB) and Kahu Ku Mauna, as

dictated by the Master Plan, have led to “some positive

things” taking place, Stormont adds, citing outreach

efforts by the Office and Board, as

well as the establishment of the

Kahu Ku Mauna Council.

Earlier this year, Stormont

was invited by the MKMB to

serve on its Environment Commit-

tee. That involvement led to a

deeper appreciation of the overall

management process and

prompted him to seek the director-

ship of the OMKM.

As he settles into his new role,

Stormont loosely organizes the

tasks at hand into two “tracks.” “I

need to get the office up and

running as quickly as possible,”

he says, referring to issues such as

staffing and equipment needs,

including the formal implementa-

tion of the ranger-guide program

already instituted on the moun-

tain. On the other track, he places

issues, current and future, such as the proposed NASA-

Keck “outrigger” telescope and others to come later.

“We need to make everyone aware of this office, so that

we can serve as a point of contact for the community and

address community concerns,” he adds.

Stormont also views management in terms of the

physical and spiritual resources of Mauna Kea. “Of the

two, protecting the physical is easier,” he says. “Protect-

ing the sanctity and spirit of the mountain is harder.” Of

part-Hawaiian ancestry, Stormont views the Kahu Ku

Mauna Council as a key player in seeing that future

developments be handled in a culturally sensitive

manner. “We need to work towards that,” Stormont

concludes. “We need to facilitate communication be-

Bill Stormont officially stepped into the role ofOMKM director on October 22.

Stormont: “We need to facilitatecommunication between all users

and make everyone aware.”

(Photo, right): Stormont gains a dramatic view ofthe observatory complexes after hiking to the topof Pu‘u Poli‘ahu. (Photo courtesy of David Byrne)

Heen, Continued from Page 3

Kahu Ku Mauna Council mem-

bers Ululani Sherlock (left) and

Pua Kanahele attended OMKM-

hosted briefing on Mauna Kea.

Senator, Continued from page 1

describing the progress made towards establishing the Mauna Kea As-

tronomy Education Center (MKAEC), a major public outreach project

endorsed by the Senator. Chancellor Tseng also introduced George Jacob,

recently hired as MKAEC director.

In his address to the group, Sen. Inouye first expressed his gratitude to

everyone in attendance for their commitment to work towards positive

outcomes for the many key Mauna Kea initiatives. Then, the Senator

implored upon everyone to proceed with an overarching respect for the

indigenous host culture while considering actions that affect Mauna Kea’s

role as a one-of-a-kind portal to the universe.

The alternative, Inouye warned, might be foretold in situations else-

where in the world, where a lack of respectful communication has some-

times led to destructive protests. Mutual respect – mainly a respect for the

sacredness of Mauna Kea – he concluded, is the key to finding effective

solutions to issues affecting the future of Mauna Kea.