UPDATE 8.20.19: Chad Kalepa Baybayan, former captain on Hokule‘a and navigator in residence at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i, supports TMT.
Born and raised in Lahaina, at age 19 he first sailed on the Hokule‘a in 1975 and has been on the crew of all major Hokule‘a voyages. In 2007 he was one of five Hawaiian men initiated into the order of Pwo, a 3,000-year-old society of deep-sea navigators in Micronesia.
As a Hawaiian I recognize that I am a descendant of some of the best oceanic astronomers and navigators the earth has ever produced. However, astronomy is the providence of humanity; it belongs to all mankind.
As a citizen of the human race, I am committed to humanity’s progress and quest for knowledge. It is important to me to be on the right side of humanity, on the right side of enlightenment and knowledge, and on the right side of education that is inspiring a whole new generation of explorers.
As a Native Hawaiian, I support TMT because it continues our oceanic tradition and legacy of exploration. My perspective of Mauna Kea is based on a tradition of oceanic exploration and the legacy of a people who left the safety of the coastline, sailed away and, in so doing, discovered the stars.
As a Hawaiian, I recognize that I am a descendant of some of the best naked-eye astronomers the world has ever known. It is culturally consistent to advocate for Hawaiian participation in a field of science that continues to enable that tradition and a field of work in which we ought to lead.
There is more than enough room on the mauna for everyone to have their own space to conduct cultural practice and scientific research. There just needs to be the collective will to make that happen. We must be a better community by all of us learning how to share the mauna.
Chad Kalepa Baybayan
UPDATE 8.19.19: Hawaii leaders need to be more decisive in enforcing law on Mauna Kea, former Maui mayor, Alan Arakawa, says. [source]
Mayor Alan Arakawa says authorities handling the TMT protest would have been wise to follow Maui’s example regarding another cutting-edge observatory, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope atop Haleakala.
“We didn’t fool around. It was, this is what the law is, and this is how you enforce it.”
Alan Arakawa, former Maui mayor
The project suffered similar protests in 2015 and 2017 involving some of the same people embroiled in the TMT obstruction. I criticized U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard for failing to adhere to national and state constitutions. We are a nation of laws, not rogue “terroristic,” bullying and intimidating groups of people.
“It comes down to a simple question: Are we a community of laws, or are we a community where anyone who raises an objection can defy those laws? We are legally bound to uphold the laws of the state of Hawaii and the U.S. That’s our obligation. We’re going to let a handful of people stop what most people believe is a good project? It hardly makes sense in a democratic society.”
Alan Arakawa, former Maui mayor
On Maui the $344 million Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope will be the largest solar telescope in the world, providing unprecedented views of the sun’s atmosphere from a 4-meter mirror inside a 13-story dome that towers over its Science City neighbors. The telescope is expected to achieve first light in the coming months.
Construction had been thrown into doubt four years ago. A group of mostly Native Hawaiians, inspired by the 2015 TMT protests and citing the same concerns about desecration, decided to make a stand against nighttime, wide-load shipments of telescope parts intended for delivery to the construction site.
UPDATE 8.19.19: Here’s an example of the value to science and human evolution due to our telescopes. Astronomers observed a Black Hole devouring a neutron star that caused ripples in space and time. [source]
The groundbreaking discovery was made by the Event Horizon Telescope, which is an international project involving telescopes across the globe that describes itself as a “virtual Earth-sized telescope.” The project utilizes telescopes in Hawaii, Arizona, Chile, Mexico, Spain and the South Pole to further the ambitious research project.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAWAI’I
It’s Admissions Day 2019. The Aloha State turns 60. We’re embroiled in controversy, specifically related to the TMT — thirty-meter telescope project — but more generally by a small group of misinformed protestors who are angry, frustrated, and oppose Queen Lili’uokalani’s forced abdication of the throne in the 1893. This led to the collapse of the Kingdom of Hawai’i and statehood in 1959. The protestors currently blame all their shortcomings on a proposed telescope and modern science.
“What is being created on the mauna, at the puʻuhonua, is a New World.”
Everything here is American and OLD WORLD: Cars, plastics, portable toilets, medication, tents from WalMart … if the Kanaka want their OWN nation — they should build a nation. They are simply stealing American products, ideas and technology — and claiming they have invented something new.
Nothing here is Hawaiian — except the people, dance and culture. This exists all over the island. Because of USA protection, the Hawaiian people and culture DID NOT DIE OFF.
Native Hawaiian People and Culture Saved
This minority group of activists refuses to accept the American Dream — which demands we must work hard to succeed. They are like so many millions of young people in America who claim entitlements: FREE college, FREE healthcare, FREE student debt relief, FREE jobs and FREE money.
There are many challenges facing America. Our rising inequality is dangerous. Wealth is being transferred into the hands of the few at the expense of the many. This must be resolved by working together politically, and this means healing the many divisions across the nation. Only by effective collaboration and compromise will we lift All Boats in Our Harbors.
Although the Native Hawaiian people, more commonly called Kanaka, claim great injustice at the hands of the U.S. government, Americans actually saved their species. This certainly was a clash of two quite different civilizations.
The 1900 U.S. Census reported there were 37,656 residents of full or partial native Hawaiian ancestry. At the time of Captain Cook’s arrival in 1778, the population is estimated to have been between 250,000 and 800,000. Most Kanaka DIED due to germs and illness during the previous century. Hawaiian medicine was far behind world threats. Contact with outsiders had been deadly.
The 2000 U.S. Census found some 283,430 residents of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander ancestry, showing dramatic growth since the islands were annexed by the U.S. in 1898. After 200 years, Native Hawaiians have made a comeback. [source]
U.S. annexation SAVED the Kanaka. They are a great culture, but were far behind in technology and medical sciences. They faced extinction. Although U.S. businessmen did peacefully force Queen Lili’uokalani off her thrown in 1893. The action by the United States of America SAVED the Kanaka.
History
March 11, 1959, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed a statehood bill and President Eisenhower signed it March 18, 1959, offering statehood to Hawaii pending ratification by Hawaii’s citizens.
June 27, 1959, Hawaii held a plebiscite with 140,744 ballots cast on Proposition 1, “Shall Hawaii immediately be admitted to the Union as a state?” Residents approved 132,773 “Yes” to 7,971 “No.” Over 94% of voters stood for statehood.
August 21, 1959, President Eisenhower signed the official proclamation admitting Hawaii as the 50th state.
“The procedural requirements imposed by the Congress on the State of Hawaii to entitle that state to admission to the Union have been complied with in all respects and that the admission of the State of Hawaii into the Union on an equal footing with other states of the Union is now accomplished.”
Who Are Hawaiians Today?
More than any other state, Hawai’i stands out when it comes to racial and ethnic diversity. The Rainbow State has never had a White majority. In fact, non-Hispanic Whites, largest group in most states, account for only 23% of the population, according to 2013 census figures.
Asians, a category including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Filipino immigrants whose ancestors once worked island sugar cane and pineapple fields, are collectively the largest group at 37%.
Lack of Celebration Amidst Great Ignorance
People are somewhat cautious and embarrassed to celebrate Statehood Day. The United States of America is demonized here. White haole males, Republicans in particular, are Hawaii’s Most Despised.
StarAd reporter, Susan Essoyan, wrote “Hawaii hits 6-0 as a state without fanfare.”
She noted a small group of Republicans, disappointed they could not find official events, booked space at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. at Ala Moana for about 60 people.
“There is no way you can have a ‘celebration’ of this without then running into a good deal of pushback. It’s really kind of similar to the way people think about Columbus in the 21st century.”
Jonathan Osorio, dean Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, University of Hawai’i at Manoa
This is an actual quote from a dean at UH Manoa. He’s revising history to disparage White Culture in America. Columbus had nothing to do with the formation of United States of America or takeover of Hawai’i. Talk about an incompetent dean.
FOUNDERS of the United States of America would trace back to the pilgrims. We all celebrate Thanksgiving robustly here in the islands — Kanaka and Americans. Everybody loves turkey and football. Remember the real story? Native people assisted the pilgrims. Pilgrims then took their land and murdered many — if we want to remember U.S. history.
Columbus landed around Puerto Rico. Spanish conquered these islands. Spain reached deep into Mexico, Latin America and South America. They formed the first capital in the U.S. at Santa Fe (New Mexico) in 1610. The U.S. kicked Spain out of this hemisphere — freeing both Cuba and Puerto Rico from colonial rule — in the Spanish-American war of 1898.
FOUNDERS of USA were primarily British and French, and British first arrived in the islands in 1778.
Too bad people in Hawai’i do not know history. It’s easy to demonize haole White People when locals don’t remember first inhabitants in Hawai’i came from the Marquesas islands. They were taken over and conquered by blood-thirsty Tahitians. Revered King Kamehameha I violently conquered the islands in civil war 1782-1810. U.S. businessmen pushed the queen from her thrown in 1893 without firing a shot.
Imagine had USA not protected these islands. The Japanese attacked in 1941. They murdered over 25 MILLION Chinese, countless Filipinos, enslaved and murdered Koreans, and murdered islanders throughout the Pacific. The Japanese would have turned Hawaiian males into boy toy slaves to work fields and conscripted females as girl toy sex slaves as they did Korean women.
Of course, Americans do have a historical pattern. We celebrate July 4th each year remembering U.S. businessmen booted a greedy King of England from North America in 1776 due to excessive taxation with representation. U.S. businessmen did the same thing to a greedy Queen in 1893 due to excessive taxation. Americans do not believe in monarchy. We believe in merit over blood.
Jonathan Osorio furthers a narrative the leads to division and hatred. This anti-American bias is popular here and with youngsters across America. I’m so thankful the USA protected these islands. Otherwise, ALL who survived deadly germs would be speaking Japanese! どうもありがとうございました
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