A round-up of events connected to the ongoing debate concerning (and blockade of) the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea.
Latest Events – Monday, April 20
- The Mauna Kea Hui made a trip to Oahu to deliver a petition to Hawaii’s governor – signed by 53,000 people – calling for an end to the Thirty Meter Telescope project. The Hui asked the governor to intervene on behalf of the 31 who were arrested on the mountain on April 2, and also raised the issue of a possible conflict of interest with the nomination of Doug Chin for State Attorney General. Chin was the managing partner of the law firm Carlesmith Ball LLP, the same law firm that is representing the University of Hawai’i and the TMT in current lawsuits.
- The Office of Hawaiian Affairs issued a media release saying it seeks to include Mauna Kea ‘Ohana leadership in discussions. “The Mauna Kea ‘Ohana leaders have cultivated a deep relationship with that ʻāina,” said OHA Chief Executive Officer Kamanaʻopono Crabbe. “They have taken on a kuleana that belongs to them — a kuleana that OHA cannot assume. Those leaders also have extensive knowledge about the harms the potential TMT project would bring to Mauna Kea from both environmental and cultural perspectives. This is why OHA believes their voices are crucial in the discussions.”
- The We Are Mauna Kea benefit concert set for the Kahilu Theatre this Sunday has been cancelled. “The presenter Real Farm has decided to cancel the concert because of the severe financial consequences that were building for the Theatre,” wrote Kahilu Theatre in a message to supporters. “This was supposed to be a celebration of Mauna Kea, not a divisive event for the community, nor negative for the Kahilu Theatre. Because Real Farm is owned by Melanie Holt, who is married to Kahilu Theatre Artistic Director Tim Bostock, it was widely perceived that the Kahilu supported the TMT protest. Concerns were also raised that the nature of the sponsor’s relationship with Mr. Bostock might create the perception of a conflict of interest.” The Theatre management said they are “strongly neutral in this cause and regrets the confusion to the public.” The event was quickly rescheduled for the Honoka’a People’s Theatre to be held on Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m. Amy Hanaialii and Willie K, John Cruz, Paula Fuga, and Hawane Rios will all star in this benefit concert for an “Education Fund for Mauna Kea”.
- The University of Hawaii Board of Regents will hold another special meeting on Mauna Kea this Sunday (April 26) at 11 a.m. and this time they are using a larger venue: the Performing Arts Center on the UH-Hilo campus (200 West Kawili Street). This will be a continuation of the Regents meeting held last Thursday (April 16) that drew hours of public testimony and was standing room only. Many did not have a chance to voice their opinion, so UH officials promised a return hearing.
Today – Tuesday, April 21
- Today all eyes are on Oahu for the Ku Kia’i Mauna March. Mauna Kea Hui and their supporters will meet at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs parking lot, where they will deliver their demands to OHA, telling the Board of Trustees to reverse their position on the building of the TMT Telescope. From there the group plans to march downtown to deliver demands to the Watanabe Ing Law Firm, the legal counsel for TMT International Observatory, LLC. The law firm will be told to “stop brokering deals to build on our sacred Maunakea”. Then the marchers will head to the Governor’s Office to deliver their demand to “stop the construction of the TMT Telescope permanently”, wrapping up the Ku Kia’i Mauna March by noon.
Pretty much one-sided coverage of this topic.
So correct Island Trust, since March 30th this site has had 24 articles/videos that had a pro-activists slant, and only two that could be said as favorable to the TMT. No cred as a “journalistic” web site for sure.
If you have the time to stay up on the mountain, day after day, week after week and you’re NOT retired; it’s safe to say you’re probably living off the people who were prevented from doing their jobs and building the telescope.
You’re not Maunakea, you’re EBT.
What an awful assumption that those dedicated to stay on the mauna are EBT and require state assistance. God forbid they have savings, vacation time from their jobs or are attending college and live at home with parents. It’s sad people like you who perpetuate negative stereotypes to fulfill your own pathetic agenda. We ARE MAUNA KEA whether you like it or not.
Let’s start then “SacredOean” with what the loud mouth Lanakila Mangaui
does for a living. Where does he live? What schools has he attended? Since he is the self appointed front man, who is he?
Can someone please explain to me how putting a telescope on Mauna Kea will “destroy” Mauna Kea?
There are no environmental consequences (the mountain is so high up there is
basically no rain, that’s why the TMT will be up there in the first
place, and as for flora and fauna, well, I’ve heard the summit of the
mountain described as ‘barren as the surface of the Moon’.
Furthermore,
the TMT will pay 1 MILLION DOLLARS in rent annually, and most of that
money will go towards the ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION of Mauna Kea).
As for cultural objections, I don’t see the problem researching the
beginning and fate of the universe, stars and planets like our own and
other topics of astronomy and cosmology on Muana Kea when Mauna Kea is
considered a place of origins and is important to Hawaiian cosmology. It
seems to be complementary “A sacred science on a sacred mountain”.
In order that Hawaiian astronomy and
cosmology can benefit from the telescope, at least 15% of the research
time on the TMT should be reserved for Hawaiian universities. In
addition, the data from the telescope should be made publicly available
so that ordinary Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians can benefit from the TMT.
In addition, the astronomers who do research at the TMT should simplify
and explain their results to the public, so we can all learn about our
place in the universe.
I signed a petition to support the TMT and I
see no reason to protest against it. It is a benefit to Hawaii and the
world and needs to be built. If I lived in Hawaii I would be protesting
against the protestors. There is no reason not to build the TMT.
Here is the petition, for those interested in saving the TMT:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/wesupporttmt.html
I hope the fight to save the TMT will be as successful as the fights to save Hubble and the JWST.
Yes What’s the big deal. The desecrating protesters have exaggerated every point, and been found wrong time and again. Time to move forward now. Enough time has been wasted on these loud mouth, illegally squatting, racist sovereignty fringers.
First off, I’m not your research assistant. You want to find out demographic information on Lanakila – go find it. Second, have you ever had a conversation with him? Met him? Listened to him? Well I have. He is one of the most humble and intelligent young men I have ever met. He hasn’t appointed himself anything. People listen because he’s smart, educated, values `ohana and the opinion of others. I was on the mauna this weekend and watched as he welcomed everyone, including myself with aloha. No hidden agenda. Differing opinions were met with conversation, discussion, not accusation and contention. Do you only value someone if their opinion aligns with yours? Also, do your research on the thousands of donors from around the world who believe in this cause and are willing to help those on the mauna remain self-sustaining – saving them from having to dip into the pockets of those who stand in judgement of individuals based on their beliefs, color of their skin and presumed economic status. #pau
Haha I never seen a bunch of idiots so mad about something that they have no part of. That’s clown status just want to bicker about everything. How much money did you put in the telescope? $0 what are you looking forward to in the building? They say 2024 it should be up and running. Where will you be in 2024? People say we on ebt but they want free 15% of a telescope. America put in the least amount of money. If you forgot already.
I’ll explain why the TMT is so crucial to astronomy and why it must be built on Mauna Kea:
Three new Mega-telescopes, all around 30 meters in diameter, are to be built around the world. They will offer capabilities vastly exceeding the Hubble Space Telescope. Operational in the 2020s, they will provide an astronomical revolution permitted by these telescopes’ vast capabilities to the next generation of scientists.
The telescopes are:
The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT)
The European-Extremely-Large-Telescope (E-ELT)
The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT)
There was the possibility of a 100 meter telescope, which would blow these telescopes out of the water in capability, the Overwhelmingly Large Telescope (OWL), but it was cancelled due to budgetary reasons. 🙁
There is now the question of where to put these telescopes. The builders of the GMT and the E-ELT decided to put their telescopes in Chile and the Atacama desert, which are in the southern hemisphere. They can only view the stars and galaxies visible in the southern hemisphere. The TMT was chosen to be built in the Northern Hemisphere to ensure that the stars and galaxies in the Northern Hemisphere would receive the same level of study as the ones in the Southern Hemisphere. Among these objects for study is the Andromeda galaxy, a spiral galaxy close enough to us that it will collide with our galaxy in a few billion years. Because of its relative proximity, it is the best galaxy available for the study of large spiral galaxies.
The reason Mauna Kea is the best place in the Northern Hemisphere for the TMT is because Mauna Kea is at a high enough altitude that the Earth’s atmosphere does not interfere with the view as much as in the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, enabling the TMT to probe the depths of the Cosmos much better than at other locations. Also, Mauna Kea is an accessible location that already has an astronomy presence. These factors make Mauna Kea the best place to put the TMT. Read my other post for the reasons that the arguments against putting the TMT on Mauna Kea are not valid.
The only problem I have with the Thirty Meter Telescope is its boring and unimaginative name. They should call it something better. (Although I will admit that Thirty Meter Telescope is very descriptive, seeing as the telescope has a 30 meter diameter primary mirror.
Just back up what you say “SacredOcean”. Stop with the “hes’s a really nice guy” nonsense. Come clean. If you know him tell us. Or, obviously I am right. Otherwise, what would it matter? Who is Lanakila Mangaui?
It won’t harm Mauna Kea.
Exactly.
Good explanation.
donkey post is actually Ida Marie Bermudez Ramey, a school bus driver for Losepa Transportation. She supports the Kona Raceway but not Mauna Kea? The exhaust from her school bus does more harm than any telescope on Mauna Kea. Lastly, she attended high school for 8 years, so consider the though process of donkey post.
Oh wow, how clever. Another idiot throwing the ebt card into the discussion. Obviously, you’re as uneducated about the ebt system as you are about the Hawaiian culture. Before you start spewing moronic accusations about a system you don’t understand, you should do some research on it and what it takes to “qualify” for it. Most people who “qualify” for ebt must have a job in order to qualify. The only exceptions are:
1) you have a child under the age of 6, therefore only 1 adult in the household may be jobless to be the primary caregiver
2) you are physically or mentally unable to have a job, in which case needs to be verified by a licensed practitioner
3) the elderly
Wages are extremely unfair and that is why the welfare system exists.
And besides, ebt would be minor compensation for turning our home into a developers playground and tourist hotspot and making it increasingly difficult to afford to live in this beautiful place WE call home.
To us this isn’t just “paradise “, this is our home. Our stories tell the stories of this land and it would be very ignorant, arrogant and downright rude for you to ignore us. I am Mauna Kea and this is my home. Whether or not you agree with Hawaiian culture and/or practices doesn’t matter because this is the host culture.. get used to it. We don’t go to your home and tell you how to live and what to believe.. we never have and never will. We have never desecrated a place of significance to American history.. never have and never will. But yet you resort to namecalling and insignificant stereotypes toward people who are just trying to protect what is left of our culture. Yes we have adopted a more western culture into our own, but we cannot forget who we are and where we come from.
Hawaiian culture matters.. especially when you’re in Hawaii
Why don’t you tell me who he is since my information, based on my experience is
so useless? Come clean? About what? I told you what I know. My entire post was to caution people like you from profiling those who are simply standing for what they believe is right. Even if I knew the information you seek, it’s not my place to share it with you. I’m exiting this conversation and wish you well.
Your dad
I think you already said that. Now you just lame like your front leg. You really think your joke is funny but people read it and read mine to find out the joke is on you and your mom ida. You stale just like a soft cracka.
Ahh shaaadapp mahu
Treaty Of annex are you a donkey?
A lot of time? Haha calling hawaiians racist. Your whole post sound hypocritical just like the donkey treaty. Nothing you piss ants say apply to anyone I know. Get it right you idiots fighting for free space pictures. Posting rubbish all dam day talking about ebt but when I reply to your crap you answer to me I’m racist but can’t say it to my face haha. I would call you a donkey 1.4b times in front of your whole family. And there’s nothing you can do about it haha so no matter to me.
Omg still going with this.. where was all this protesters 7+years ago I mean yeah sure had some ppl there at meetings at that time speaking against the TMT but what its still going to happen. Didn’t see all these protesters by the airport 7 years ago. These ppl should wake up and go do research. Bet you most of these ppl protesting don’t even know the hole story only like there 15 sec of fame. Shame
It will destroy our culture and what we were raise with. Our beloved Goddesses and Gods rest on that island. Everyone has a culture and religion they follow. Respect it.
That is very WORNG for 1 you don’t need a job to qualify and 2 every household is different. And for real to do this day in and day out you must have a very very cool boss to keep on paying you or you are getting welfare. I am betting it’s welfare that most of them are on. Stop crying about TMT,ancestrs,America.
America brought everything that you have here that is not native to hawaii . Hypocrites
This shows impact of construction:
https://youtu.be/TrqNyfXDs-U
WRONG, your info seems to be outdated and un-researched.. here you go
http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/snap/
http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/tanf/
And contrary to your low stereotypes, we are a busy hard working family; we pay our bills, mortgage, taxes, etc.
So no, im not on Mauna Kea but i gladly lend my support to those who can make it
We are Mauna Kea
They are not illegally squatting. The TMT is being built on crown lands.
They have ever right to publish their sentiments on all subjects.
Contrary to popular opinion… not all Hawaiian sovereignty activists collect checks from American government.
Some actually work for a living.
There were protesting then and now.
Actually Lanakila never stated that he is a leader of anything and I want the TMT to be built. He just cares deeply about the mauna. He has a right to publish his sentiments on ALL subjects. It is his right to do so.
“E kii aku oe i ka Ohenana Hoku a Lord Rosse, me ka hele mua nae i
ke kiowai o Auwaiawao e holoi ai i ko maka, i pau ke keae; alaila, nana
aku oe ma ua ohe la; me ka lana o ka manao e loaa i na Kalaponikale
wawahi waapa o ka muliwai o Matarita Pe. Na ka Lahainaluna i kapaia he
hookiekie.
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa
PILIPO ARIDEI.
Punahou, Sept. 17, 1862.
Lanakila never stated he is a leader. In fact he explicitly stated that he is not. He’s a humble man and has a right to speak.
Don’t know your history Lana?
The Crown Lands were the King’s personal lands until they became heavily in debt and were bailed out by the Legislature in 1865, and signed off by Kamehameha V.
From then on the money generated would go to the maintenance of whoever would be King. They were owned by the government, and are still owned by the government. These lands are everybody’s, not the property of a particular race.
7+ years ago, 31 peaceful protesters were not being arrested in a place held sacred by them. TMT is just the tip of the iceburg. It has become something far bigger than telescopes. We are not anti-science. We are sick and tired of being told that our culture doesnt matter by people like you. We are sick and tired of never-ending “compromises” that only benefits people like you in the long run. What do i mean by “people like you”? People who live in Hawaii, but cant stand the people and the culture. You make it blatantly obvious what your opinion of us and our culture is. Why are you here?
Oh yah Lana, “he’s a humble man”. I didn’t see him being humble at the ground breaking ceremony. He was a total disgrace! Now who exactly his he. Your refusal to come clean only shows that I am correct.
Its time to activate the students at the university of hilo concerning this project with huge peaceful demonstrations. Students should be concern that they are heading out into a world of corruption & dictatorships, and that their futures are threaten by the likes of a corrupted educational & legal system that cares nothing about the human race.
Martin Luther King Jr had it right when he started the peaceful protest system, because the tyrants who control the money & corporations, are the entities who are destroying both this earth & freedom. He was killed because of the powerful tool of peaceful demonstration. Now it is difficult to demonstrate because that threat of fear is present.
If you the youth do not take action now, you will experience a worst fate then what happened in the Nazi Germany era. The attack this time is against all the people & not just the jewish people.
This has become really visible as the same investors of that era, are still in charge for greed & human control. It’s call “Capitalizing” and Educated individuals should understand the meanings of English language and its root words.
Who are the major threats to Humanity & mankind?
The evidence is clear, when you examine the names of major corporations like Helco, Monsanto, Halliburton, Bectals, and the Coke brothers association among others. This is indisputable proof, that “Money is the roots of all Evil”.
These are the Satans of this world, and this is where the phrase “the roots of all evil” came from. Interesting, that nothing is hidden from us as we seem to be in a hypnotic trance. And how about products like “satins” that are produced by pharmacy drug companies that don’t cure anything?
As caretaker of this earth, We must stand tall and confront the evil folks of this era by peaceful protest. It’s time that we focus on all institutions including government officials, with large peaceful demonstrations until we reclaim all our rights. This means boycotting supermarkets, the university system and all government offices who support unjust activies by all enties who are exploiting us & the land.
We must not forget, that most top officials are taking money under the table and misusing the funds that they are taking from us. They are all in this together.
Enough is enough. As a college student, you will have nothing to look forward to, if these tyrants are allowed to continue this exploitation & forced wars against the people.
Let us get back to basics with community discussions, about what is a real Democracy & Freedom of the people.
Otherwise they will be taking our rights of peaceful demonstration from us, if we fail.
Then stop destroying it for everybody, for the profits of greedy few. If you don’t, Mother Pele “the female Goddess” will eventually blow its top and you away with it if you don’t wake up to your exploiting ideas.
Heh. What do you expect, IslandTrust? They all seem to be related there. I mean, when the very cops sent up there to maintain order are boo hoo’g, [sniff, sniff, wahhhhh], “I jus’ like to say, from me to you,” [sniff, sniff, wahhhhh] “I, I, I, I, I, I s-s-s-s-s-s-sorry, I, I, I, I, I, I just doing my jahb.” Well, I’ll remind that officer that MY TAXES pay for him TO HAVE THAT JOB. It’s not just about carrying a badge, gun, getting union benefits, and free medical after you retire.
Law enforcement up there better darn well do the job that they’ve been hired to do. If they can’t . . . it’s U.S. National Guard time.
Great posts from all around, by the way, IslandTrust.
Actually Lanakila is a humble man. A mere mortal.
However if you did not focus solely on the fact he is Kanaka Maoli and instead focused on the fact that the mauna is on crown lands thus only ali’i can go up there then you would be correct. Thus far you are incorrect.
They are inalienable which is a reason why the Democrats continue to push for the “Native Hawaiian Roll”. They need our consent but we are not giving it to them.
You should be grateful not hateful since they are your enemies too.