In your research and planning for your upcoming Hawaii vacation, you may have found news that there are currently protests at the base of Mauna Kea. These protestors are currently staked out at the site of a proposed new telescope, one that would be used to research space and beyond. However, there is much controversy surrounding the construction and the reasons why are incredibly important to native Hawaiians.
Protests of the proposed telescope, known as the Thirty Meter Telescope or TMT, have been going on for years and are now receiving national attention because the scheduled construction of the telescope was scheduled to restart on July 15, 2019. Native Hawaiians gathered to block the access road, preventing the scheduled construction from beginning. More recently, protestors have gathered at Kapiolani Park on Oahu, and locations around the country, to further the impact of the protests of the telescope.
The reasons for the protests are incredibly important, and the reasoning is rooted deep in the Hawaiian culture. First and foremost, Mauna Kea is sacred land to native Hawaiians, and protecting the islands is one of the most important things in Hawaiian culture. Caring for the islands, or ‘aina, dates all the way back to the earliest arrivals to the islands, and has sustained for over 1,000 years, through many tragic events in Hawaiian history. Now, these protests are further protection of sacred Hawaiian land.
The telescopes footprint will be massive, requiring a deep dig into the mountain and removing a large section of the summit. The telescope would stand 18 stories high, giving researchers an unprecedented view of the galaxy, but also adding another telescope to what is considered to be the most sacred land in the Pacific Ocean. Native Hawaiians have peacefully blocked the access road, resulting in dozens of arrests, largely of Hawaiian elders.
Protesting will not stop and it has started to garner national media attention, with local boy Dwayne Johnson making a visit of encouragement to the protest site, and taking part in traditional ceremonies. The more attention that the thirty meter telescope protest receives, the greater likelihood that the battle will be won by native Hawaiians.
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