Native Hawaiians Oppose Development, not Science of Thirty Meter Telescope

Native Hawaiians Oppose Development,

not Science of Thirty Meter Telescope

“Protesters at the TMT construction site on the summit of Mauna Kea”. via The Huffington post. 04/10/ 2015. All rights reserved

As a human being, would you allow your curiosity to supersede the values and traditions of others if it caused them emotional pain? The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) construction site selection has become the frustration of many in Hawaii. The three major groups involved in the TMT construction controversy are the scientific community, the state of Hawaii, and the native Hawaiians[10].

Scientific Community for TMT construction

More than a decade ago, the scientific community wanted a bigger, better telescope. A group was formed to generate studies for the optimal design and location for such a telescope. The TMT International Observatory Board (TMT IOB) was formed and TMT was set to be the new “king of the hill” on Mauna Kea, Hawaii with the other smaller thirteen telescopes already on the summit. Great science is happening and more is on the way with the imminent construction of TMT and ongoing construction of the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) on Haleakala, Maui. The upcoming International Astronomical Union Conference (IAUC) was going to hold a preview tour of the TMT construction site, but cancelled their plans due to the protests that halted construction [2]

State of Hawaii enabling the TMT construction

The native Hawaiians are upset with the state government for giving away their sovereign land. On the other side of the controversy, after 7 years of TMT IOB’s efforts[4], the state of Hawaii gave the University of Hawaii the ability to sublease a portion of Mauna Kea’s summit. When the native Hawaiians began to peacefully protest the construction, the Department of Land and Natural Resources set an emergency rule in motion prohibiting camping equipment and access to the mountain between the hours of 10 PM and 4 AM. Protesters have remained successful and these major peaceful protests have halted construction for months[3], despite the fact that there were 31 arrests made by the police department[1].

Native Hawaiians against TMT construction site

Native Hawaiians have been against the development and desecration of its sovereign land since the Hawaiian Queen was overthrown by US supported businessmen. The desecration of Mauna Kea is a deep cut to the natives because it is believed to be the origin of the Hawaiian people. The mountain is so deeply respected and worshipped that it is reserved for special ceremonies, shrines, prayer and burial of ancestors[5]. In a great attempt to save the sacred mountain from defilement, the natives have peacefully opposed in many ways[7]. They have set boulders on roads, made human roadblocks[8], educated the public about the significance of the selected construction site, and have made oral arguments at the Hawaiian Supreme Court against the TMT construction on that particular site[6].

The struggle to be heard

A great misconception made by the scientific community and government of the state of Hawaii is that they believe the native Hawaiians are against the Thirty Meter Telescope’s scientific benefits[10]. Jay Handlin, attorney for the University of Hawaii, which sub-leases the land atop Mauna Kea for the telescope project, defended the building of TMT by stating, “The ultimate final decision of the board granting the [permit] represents the culmination of a process of years of community outreach, of dialogue, of listening, revising, reducing, modifying, mitigating, conditioning to a degree that is unprecedented in the history of astronomy at Mauna Kea.” [6] Many telescope supporters have the same view as Jay. These supporters falsely believe that abiding by state’s policies and having explained the potential scientific gains to the natives mean that there should be no opposition from the natives[9]. The truth is that the native Hawaiians have decided to openly take a stand against the development of their sacred lands. Vicky Holt Takamine, a kumu hula, or hula teacher, explains that "[The native Hawaiian people have] been advocating for no more development on Mauna Kea for years. And our words have fallen on deaf ears."[4] The native Hawaiians have no issue with the science, their opposition is the development and desecration of the sacred land in Hawaii[7]. Vicky is clear in stating that native Hawaiians oppose development, not science.





Molly Solomon. “Native Hawaiians dance in honor of Mauna Kea at the base of Pu'u Huluhulu on the Big Island” via NPR. 04/21/2015. noncommercial use without modification


Bibliography

1) The Associated Press, “8 Arrested in Protest Against Telescope on Hawaii Mountain,” in The New York Times (2015).

2) The Associated Press, “Astronomers Gather in Hawaii Amid Telescope Tensions,” in The New York Times (2015).

3) "Astronomers to restart construction of controversial telescope in Hawaii," http://news.sciencemag.org/policy/2015/06/astronomers-restart-construction-controversial-telescope-hawaii.

4) M. Solomon, “Construction Of Giant Telescope In Hawaii Draws Natives’ Ire,” NPR.org, 21 April 2015, <http://www.npr.org/2015/04/21/400390724/construction-of-giant-telescope-in-hawaii-draws-natives-ire> (accessed 10 September 2015).

5) J. Stromberg, “Construction of Hawaii’s controversial Thirty Meter Telescope is cleared to proceed,” Vox, 27 May 2015, <http://www.vox.com/2015/5/27/8669269/hawaii-tmt-telescope-mauna-kea> (accessed 10 September 2015).

6) “Hawaii Supreme Court hears Mauna Kea telescope case,” dnews.pk, 28 August 2015, <http://pkdnews.tumblr.com/post/127765100844/hawaii-supreme-court-hears-mauna-kea-telescope> (accessed 10 September 2015).

7)D. Corrigan, "Mauna Kea TMT Blockade Arrests," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR3dDKUZRlM

8)K. Dickerson, "Protesters stop telescope construction on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea," http://www.businessinsider.com/thirty-meter-telescope-construction-halted-on-hawaiis-mauna-kea-2015-6.

9) M. Solomon, "Scientists on TMT: Not Of One Mind," http://hpr2.org/post/scientists-tmt-not-one-mind#stream/0.

10) PBS HAWAII, “Should the Thirty Meter Telescope Be Built?,” YouTube, 31 May 2015, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMKgNSb1cE0> (accessed 6 September 2015).