Monday, January 6, 2020 – Temporary agreement at Mauna Kea standoff

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The road to Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is open for the first time since July. Backers of the Thirty Meter Telescope say they’re putting off plans for the $1.6 billion project for at least the next two months. Officials withdrew any law enforcement presence that has been in place since opponents of the project blocked the road prevent construction crews from reaching the top of the sacred mountain. Opponents of the project say they have time now to switch focus to providing a more permanent solution. We’ll get an update on the on-going fight over construction of the new telescope on Mauna Kea.

Guests:

Kealoha Piscuiotta (Kanaka Maoli) – spokesperson for Mauna Kea Anaina Hou

Hank Fergerstrom (Kanaka Maoli) – spokesperson from the Na Kupuna O Keawe

Samuel Wilder King II (Kanaka Maoli) – executive director of Imua TMT

James Stone Jr. (Kanaka Maoli) –

Break 1 music: No luna i Kahalekai (Hula ‘Ala’apapa) (song) Joe Kahaulelio (artist) Ancient Hula Hawaiian Style: Vol. 1 Hula Kuahu (album)

Break 2 music: Rumble (Remastered) (song) Link Wray (artist) Rumble (Remastered) (single)

Veronica Ohara says

January 7, 2020 at 5:34 pm

I am Kanaka Maoli and I support TMT and astronomy on Maunakea. People all over the world who stand with “indigenous people” must recognize that there is strong support for this project from Hawaiians and Hawaii. The claims of desecration, oppression, genocide, ethnocide are ridiculous because Hawaiians prosper and thrive. Hula is taught all over the world, Kumu hula travel to the largest cities and teach classes and award the right to be a kumu to nationals of other countries. Hawaiian music can be heard on movie sound tracks, music from people from these islands are at the international award ceremonies. Hawaiian fashion made the scene in NYC, beautiful fabrics rich with colors and patterns of our culture swirled down the red carpet. Law suits have been filed over raw fish, the Aloha Poke story is another example of how our culture enriches many people. Astronomy, TMT is another extension of who we are. We are scientists as well as hula dancers, chanters, artists. Our entire land is sacred and it is filled with hotels and high end shops because the stewards of the people and the land sell us for tourism; truly path dependant economy. But remember Hawaiians have always been astronomers, just like we have always been participants in our governance, we are not only chiefs, we are judges, lawyers as well. Hawaiians have the right to use our natural resources for ourselves. We have students in the field of astronomy and physics who hope to observe, work, learn about our place in the universe with TMT. We use smartphones, computers, we dance hula, we weave leis. All our land is sacred, the summit of Maunakea should be reserved for the study of the universe. Our most ancient and sacred chants are filled with allusions to the creation and the cosmos. Our myths, like all myths are explanations for what the eyes cannot see, for what our ancestors could not explain. We know there is more. Why should we be deprived of understand our place in the solar system, in our universe. I am Kanaka Maoli and I support TMT.

Comments

Veronica Ohara says

January 7, 2020 at 5:34 pm

I am Kanaka Maoli and I support TMT and astronomy on Maunakea. People all over the world who stand with “indigenous people” must recognize that there is strong support for this project from Hawaiians and Hawaii. The claims of desecration, oppression, genocide, ethnocide are ridiculous because Hawaiians prosper and thrive. Hula is taught all over the world, Kumu hula travel to the largest cities and teach classes and award the right to be a kumu to nationals of other countries. Hawaiian music can be heard on movie sound tracks, music from people from these islands are at the international award ceremonies. Hawaiian fashion made the scene in NYC, beautiful fabrics rich with colors and patterns of our culture swirled down the red carpet. Law suits have been filed over raw fish, the Aloha Poke story is another example of how our culture enriches many people. Astronomy, TMT is another extension of who we are. We are scientists as well as hula dancers, chanters, artists. Our entire land is sacred and it is filled with hotels and high end shops because the stewards of the people and the land sell us for tourism; truly path dependant economy. But remember Hawaiians have always been astronomers, just like we have always been participants in our governance, we are not only chiefs, we are judges, lawyers as well. Hawaiians have the right to use our natural resources for ourselves. We have students in the field of astronomy and physics who hope to observe, work, learn about our place in the universe with TMT. We use smartphones, computers, we dance hula, we weave leis. All our land is sacred, the summit of Maunakea should be reserved for the study of the universe. Our most ancient and sacred chants are filled with allusions to the creation and the cosmos. Our myths, like all myths are explanations for what the eyes cannot see, for what our ancestors could not explain. We know there is more. Why should we be deprived of understand our place in the solar system, in our universe. I am Kanaka Maoli and I support TMT.