In Clifford Naeole's view, “;E Ia ka Manawa”; (Here, Now Is the Time), the theme of this year's Celebration of the Arts, is epitomized in an extraordinary photograph taken by Hawaii-born astronaut Charles Lacy Veach aboard the space shuttle Columbia on Nov. 1, 1992.

An ancient adz floats in zero gravity on the flight deck as Columbia flies 160 miles above the islands. Beside it, framed in the window, is the Big Island. The image is so clear you can see Mauna Kea, ringed by blankets of white clouds.

Veach had smuggled the adz—a cherished gift from his grandfather—aboard Columbia on his second mission for NASA. It came from Keanakakoi, a quarry 12,500 feet up the southern slopes of Mauna Kea, where Hawaiians of old braved freezing temperatures to collect basalt for tools.

Two years ago, famed celestial navigator Nainoa Thompson displayed that photo during his keynote presentation for a conference of CEOs from various Hawaii companies at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. “;It was stunning!”; said Naeole, the resort's Hawaiian cultural adviser and arts celebration chairman. “;I began to think about how the adz had a link to space exploration. Hawaiians used the adz to cut the trees to shape the canoes that they used to sail the seas by studying the stars.”;

According to Naeole, the early Hawaiians were amazing innovators whose accomplishments could be seen not only in voyaging, but farming, medicinal practices, tapa-making and more. He believes the “;E Ia ka Manawa”; theme will spark spirited dialogue that will influence and mold the future of today's Hawaiians.

“;Previously, Celebration of the Arts focused on bringing Hawaiian values and traditions from the past to the present,”; Naeole said. “;This year we will concentrate on bringing the present to the future.”;

Now in its 18th year, the acclaimed event invites attendees to experience “;Hawaiian heart and soul”; through workshops, films, food, music and interaction with artists and cultural practitioners. Highlights this year include panel discussions on teaching ancient ways in contemporary times; the challenges facing Hawaiian men as they become kupuna (elders) and guide youths toward adulthood; and the pros and cons of establishing large astronomical observatories atop volcano summits, which many Hawaiians regard as sacred sites.

These sessions are designed to inspire camaraderie, conversation and contemplation. Naeole hopes the audience will listen, learn, form their own opinions and perhaps help generate sound answers.

“;When the Hawaiians first picked up a stone and began using it to chip another stone to make a tool, that proved they were open to new ideas, methods and devices,”; Naeole said. “;They carved their sling stones like minifootballs, which tells me they knew about aerodynamics in a Neolithic age! Hawaiians today should not only honor such past accomplishments, but imagine what they can accomplish in the future.”;

Naeole asserts that preservation is not enough. “;If that were the case, we would never progress,”; he said. “;We would be like poi pounders in a display case—beautiful reminders of what was. We need to move our canoe forward. We need to shape the future OUR way by creating it.”;

In the process, Naeole believes the past should guide Hawaiians' thinking but not stifle it. Being open-minded; staying centered; getting a good education, including traveling abroad to learn about other peoples and cultures; and realizing the loudest voice is not necessarily the wisest are key. “;We should educate, not intimidate,”; Naeole said. “;We should engage, not enrage. That's the goal of Celebration of the Arts. E ia ka manawa ... here, now is the time.”;

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Bulletin have won multiple Society of American Travel Writers awards.