![]() ![]() Additionally, while Westerners may be familiar with the concept of “ancestral land,” many indigenous cultures, including Native Hawaiians, regard land as ancestors, since familial generations become a part of the earth upon the act of burial. In Hawaiian creation stories, Mauna Kea is the literal first-born child of Father Sky ( Wakea) and Mother Earth ( Papahanaumoku ), erupting from sea-level and reaching for the stars, a bridge between two parents. The passion and ire over Mauna Kea represent both contemporary and historical conflict. This decision only worsened the situation and led to death threats for Gov. Demonstrations and protests erupted throughout the state and were so intense at Mauna Kea that Governor Ige called in law enforcement to keep the peace and, as mentioned above, many protesters were arrested. So, when construction resumed in 2019 and the outcry was even larger than before, the disappointment and confusion must have been intense. I imagine the BLNR and TMT were proud of their compromise to replace outdated telescopes with a better one and ensure the mountain’s integrity for the future. Not only were previous telescopes on Mauna Kea to be removed, the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) declared the TMT would be the last telescope on Mauna Kea. In 2017, a new permit was issued with important points of progress. The license issued for land use was invalidated because opponents of the TMT were not given fair opportunity to present their case. In a multi-pronged attack, protesters also contested a process issue in court. Activists arrived on site to physically block construction with their bodies. Ground broke for the TMT in 2014 and was followed abruptly by a powerful protest. ![]() Unfortunately for the TMT, its presence crystallized a century of tension between Native Hawaiians and the state government, preventing its construction for over half a decade. ![]() Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano ( mauna = mountain) established as a land reserve in 1968 the reserve is managed by the University of Hawaii. Ultimately, the lack of light pollution and dry atmosphere convinced the committee in 2009 to select Mauna Kea. In the running were locations in Chile, Spain, Mexico, India, and, of course, Hawaii. In 2003, a coalition of multiple institutions began a search party for the perfect spot for their incredible telescope, which has 12x the resolution of the Hubble Telescope. The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is not thirty meters tall or long – the lens is thirty meters wide, and blows away the current record diameter of 10.4 meters. There have been multiple telescopes built on Mauna Kea before – why was the negative response now so intense? Would the telescope desecrate sacred ground and take advantage of the natural resources rightfully belonging to an indigenous population? Was the conviction of a loud minority obstructing potential progress and scientific contribution of their state? CaSP met in January to take a hard look at the symbolism of the Thirty Meter Telescope and how we, as scientists, consciously or unconsciously impact our communities through our work. The magnitude of the outrage was somewhat shocking to both the local government and the scientific community. On July 17 th 2019, over thirty people, including Native Hawaiian elders, were arrested on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, an event that served as the pinnacle of a grueling campaign to halt the construction of a new telescope. January journal club review by Amanda Hurley, journal club led by Grant Hisao ![]()
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