Science or Culture? The Hawaii Telescope Protest

On Mauna Kea Volcano in Hawaii, over ten-thousand native Hawaiians stood for weeks in protest against the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), an observatory designed for astronomical research. These protests—supported by famous figures like Bruno Mars, Jason Momoa, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson—primarily stem from the natives’ strong disapproval for destructing the environment and going against the indigenous rights of the Hawaiians. The native citizens gathered together to block the entryway to the mountain by building protest camps, drawing the attention of many around the world.

The primary reason for the protests against building telescopes on Mauna Kea lies in the Hawaiian culture. The Mauna Kea mountain is considered a sacred place as it is associated with holy figures like the sky god Wākea and the Earth goddess Papahānaumoku. The mountain is also known by the Hawaiians as the residence of the gods. Despite having over 30 protestors, also known as protectors, arrested, many still stand against the construction of telescopes in respect for the Hawaiian culture.

So why would astronomers want to build massive telescopes on this sacred mountain in the first place? The answer lies in Mauna Kea’s environmental conditions. The volcano is a highly suitable site for astronomical research due to its location, height and climate. Scientists believe that research conducted with telescopes on Mauna Kea could reveal key information about the existence of terrestrial life, as well as bring higher efficiency in predicting any destructive asteroid collisions on Earth.

The construction of the new TMT was planned to start in July. Its primary purpose was to aid research in finding the ‘second earth,’ or in other words, investigate the oxygen or water content on planets not in the solar system. As a collaboration of five nations including the United States and Japan, the international project has been in progress for over 15 years. Hawaiian officials even showed support of the TMT and anticipated its positive economic effects. However, upon the negative response from the native citizens, TMT project officials spoke to NHK on feeling shocked as they thought they had been building a good relationship with locals through visiting schools to host presentations about the TMT and its construction.

While hundreds and thousands of natives joined in the protest against the TMT, some demonstrated in support for the project at the Hawaii State Capitol. Those in support of building telescopes rallied for the advancement of astronomical discoveries, saying that they were not necessarily protesting against the Hawaiian culture, but rather gathering to push STEM-related research.

Today, this controversy between choosing to advocate for science or to protect the native culture in Hawaii continues. While there has been no severe violence during the movement, two more protesters were arrested just last week and parts of the protest camps on Mauna Kea were broken apart by officials. Other demonstrations against the TMT has also been occurring around the globe. With no signs of a quick closure, this situation in Hawaii raises many questions about how traditions and culture should be preserved in this world of rapid scientific development.

For more information, please visit The Guardian, Science Magazine, USA Today, Hawaii Public Radio, and NHK.