Awareness and preparedness will be the main focus Saturday during the inaugural Tsunami Summer Jam in Hilo.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, or HI-EMA, has partnered with the Pacific Tsunami Museum, Hawaii County, the National Weather Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Ethnic Education of Hawaii to host the first Tsunami Summer Jam event at the museum.
The Tsunami Summer Jam was created to raise public awareness about tsunamis. Keiki and their families living in a tsunami zone can utilize the opportunity to learn how to best protect themselves from the unpredictable natural disaster.
“It has been a while since we’ve had a destructive tsunami, so it’s important for people to keep safety measures fresh in their minds and know what to do just in case,” said Pacific Tsunami Museum Director Cindi Preller.
The family-friendly event at the museum will feature three readings of the original story, “Kaiona, the Kia‘i,” which tells the tale of a young girl discovering the ocean in all its beauty, magic and danger — which includes tsunamis.
The children’s book, written by Greg Bowman, Alan Suemori and Gabriel Yanagihara, educates keiki about how to prepare for a tsunami before it happens, the signs of an oncoming tsunami, and how to react during one.
The book was published this year and is based on Tilly Smith, a woman credited with saving approximately 100 people at Mai Khao Beach in Thailand by warning them minutes before the arrival of the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. She was 10-years old at the time and had learned about tsunamis in her geography class.
“The event is geared toward educating keiki and their families, because keiki will be the ones on the beaches and are the ones to educate the community,” said Nathan Myers, museum event coordinator. “There is no question of if, but when a tsunami will happen. Phone notifications and sirens may not work, but if you can spot the water acting strangely, then you know how to act.”
To celebrate Hawaii’s diverse culture, “Kaiona, the Kia‘i” will be read by a celebrity reader in Hawaiian, English and Tagalog. Mrs. Universe 2023, Meranie Gadiana Rahman, will be in attendance to read the Tagalog version.
The day of storytelling also will include interactive activities throughout the museum.
“The whole place will be covered in activities, and the museum will have free entry for Hawaii residents,” Myers said. “We will also have tsunami heroes telling their stories, experts will share knowledge, and residents will learn how to best prepare for the natural disaster while living in a tsunami zone.”
There will be a limit to the number of people in the museum at a time. To manage capacity, the entire museum visit, including the reading session, is limited to a two-hour time slot.
The ‘Olelo Hawaii reading time slot will be 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., the English reading will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the Tagalog reading will be from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are offered, but not required to attend the event.
“Hopefully, this will be a yearly event for HI-EMA, especially with the Big Island becoming more populated and causing more people to live in zones prone to natural disasters,” Myers said. “Tsunamis, earthquakes and lava don’t have seasons, so the information can really be geared toward preparing for all of them.”
After hearing feedback from the community, the museum is working to keep residents more informed and resilient.
“A lot of people have said they come to the museum once with their families, but then never come back, so it’s important for us to reinforce the knowledge as much as possible,” Myers said. “We hope people take away the importance of having evacuation kits ready for every disaster and knowing what to look for before a tsunami forms.
“I also think it’s important to keep telling stories and sharing the experiences of those who have experienced a tsunami. There are a lot of connections to be made,” Myers added.
The Tsunami Summer Jam will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Pacific Tsunami Museum, 130 Kamehameha Ave. in Hilo.
To RSVP for a reading, call (808) 935-0926, or visit tsunami.org/event/tsunamisummerjam/.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.