Friends of Midway Atoll board members (Wayne Sentman, Helen Dunlap, Pam Repp, Bill Levin) and photographer Jon Brack, all of whom have visited Kuaihelani (Midway) and/or Kamole have just returned from helping launch a major fundraising event called Waves of Gratitude! They also spent a few days with the team of conservators (Iowans Liz Crooks, Jessica Smith and Shereena Honary) who oversee the University of Iowa (UI) Museum of Natural History’s Laysan Island Cyclorama!
While the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is extremely remote, the Laysan Island Cyclorama allows one to step back in time and “stand on” a turn-of-the-century Kamole (Laysan Island), just as Museum Director Charles Nutting had experienced it in 1902.
In an effort to bring the essence of the stunning beauty and wildlife he experienced back to Iowa, he began working on the next expedition that set sail on April 24, 1911 from Honolulu, Hawai'i. On board were Professor Homer R. Dill, the Expedition Leader, several students, ship crew, and muralist Charles A. Corwin. Unfortunately, they experienced an entirely different reality. Laysan Island was denuded by rabbits, the landscape scarred by a guano mining operation and thousands of birds had been harvested for their feathers.
However, they still managed to bring back enough key bird specimens including the now extinct Laysan Millerbird and Laysan Rail, eggs, plant material, and anything else they could collect that once resembled a flourishing island.
By 1914 an impressive cyclorama educational experience was unveiled to convey through sight and sound the beauty and diversity of what once was Kamole (Laysan Island) in the Hawaiian archipelago. Touch the play button below and enjoy a walk through the floor level of cyclorama with Jon Brack 110 years after the museum's first opening.
Today the University is working to restore this century old exhibit. One of the main purposes of the visit was for FOMA to help connect the old with the new.
With support from the FOMA team, and in collaboration with the Friends of Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge (who directly support Kamole), the University Museum hosted a “Waves of Gratitude” donor event.
The event began with a presentation delivered by the former Refuge Manager for Midway Atoll, Pam Repp. The 60 or so attendees learned about life on present-day Kuaihelani and Kamole in the context of its historic and cultural significance complemented with dazzling images captured by ace photojournalist Jon Brack. Later, in the Museum’s Bird Hall, attendees enjoyed tasty treats and Island Breeze drinks while experiencing contrasting images from the century-old Cyclorama and the new virtual reality of Jon Brack’s 360º walk amidst the Möli (Laysan Albatross) presented on four Oculus headsets.
Experience a sample of what the attendees viewed below by walking along the beach or exploring the interior of Kamole. If you're viewing on a computer, click and drag on the screen. If you have an Iphone, move the phone around to enjoy the full 360º experience. If on an Android, drag your finger across the screen. Volume up!
One of the most striking observations made by attendees was how the display from the early 1900’s had no plastic pollution on the cyclorama beaches, while the virtual reality scenes from modern day Laysan were full of plastic marine debris. Stay tuned for more collaborative updates and images!
In the meantime. we invite you to help the Museum raise $1 million to provide the necessary restoration of the 1914 Laysan Island Cyclorama by donating here.
Article written by Ann Bell