HONOLULU (HI Now) - ʻImiloa Astronomy Center is marking Merrie Monarch week with a celebration of Hawaiian culture, creativity and community through ʻIkena ʻImiloa — a curated series of events that brings together a marketplace, hands-on workshops and panel discussions rooted in ʻike Hawaiʻi.
Kapuaonaona Roback, a marketplace vendor with ʻIkena ʻImiloa, joins HI Now Daily to share what visitors and community members can expect during the week’s programming. The events center Hawaiian knowledge and cultural practice, spotlighting local artists, cultural practitioners and ʻōpio entrepreneurs — young Native Hawaiian business owners working to carry their traditions forward through commerce and creativity.
The ʻIkena ʻImiloa marketplace features Hawaiian-owned and Hawaiʻi-based businesses, offering attendees the opportunity to shop local while engaging directly with makers and ʻike holders in an interactive, welcoming environment. Hands-on workshops allow participants to learn skills directly from practitioners, making the experience both educational and deeply personal.
Programming throughout Merrie Monarch week includes both free and ticketed experiences, open to the broader community as well as visitors to the Big Island. ʻImiloa’s mission — bridging Hawaiian knowledge and contemporary learning through meaningful, place-based experiences — is at the heart of every event.
For more information, visit imiloahawaii.org and follow along on Instagram at @imiloacenterhawaii.
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