Big Isle VOLCANO, Hawaii >> Geologist Janet Babb shows teachers from around the world little droplets of volcanic glass.
geologist wins
state award
Janet Babb weaves Hawaiian
legends into colorful lessons
about volcanoesBy Rod Thompson
Star-BulletinThey are called Pele's tears.
Babb shows the teachers hair-thin glass threads that trail behind Pele's tears as an eruption blasts them through the air.
The threads are called Pele's hair.
With these and other references to the volcano goddess Pele, Babb has a ready-made avenue to explain to visiting teachers how modern geology relates to ancient Hawaiian culture.
"It's just a natural tie-in," she said.
The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau thought it was more than natural. They selected Babb for the top place this year in their annual "Keep It Hawaii" awards.
Babb was stunned when she was named "Best of Show" among winners in 18 categories. "That's the one that rendered me speechless," she said.
Babb worked as an elementary school teacher and later as a geology instructor at a university in Oklahoma before moving to the Big Island in 1991.
In 1995 she started Project LAVA (Learning About Volcanic Activity), consisting of one-week sessions four times per year for teachers or anyone else with an interest.
For $1,100, participants get seven nights at the Volcano House hotel, most meals, transportation, study materials and a Project LAVA T-shirt. University credit is also available.
Her students have come from 38 states, Australia, Canada, England and Germany. An American teacher even came from Egypt.
Her students range from people with no knowledge of earth sciences to people who hold a master's degree in geology but may never have seen an active volcano.
Babb takes them to Halemaumau Crater, to the spatter ridge created by the 1982 eruption from a crack in Kilauea's floor, and to the active flow field at the end of Chain of Craters Road -- "if the flows can be safely accessed," she said.
This and more are nearly a one-woman show. Hollis Kiwala'o Taylor, a longtime member of the Halau of Kekuhi hula group which has special links to Pele, gives Hawaiian cultural demonstrations.
Don Swanson, scientist-in-charge of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, wrote a letter to the visitors bureau supporting Babb.
"She weaves a tapestry of information about many aspects of Hawaiian culture related to the volcanoes: how past and present native Hawaiians live with active volcanoes, the oral history of Pele, how the oral history can be shown to relate to actual events from at least the 14th century on, the meanings of offerings left at Pele's home in Halemaumau, and many others," Swanson wrote.
Corinne Tamashiro, program coordinator for the UH-Hilo College of Continuing Education and Summer Session, said Project LAVA participants leave with permanent impressions. "They return home singing the praises of Project LAVA, with tons of new information about volcanoes and a new respect for and understanding of the Hawaiian culture," she said.