KŪKĀKŪKĀ / COMMUNITY FORUM

Rendering of ATST and Mees, looking south. - Courtesy of Tom Kekona, K.C. Environmental Inc.

Kanaka Maoli should welcome
telescopes; Kalākaua did

By Paul Coleman

A consortium of 22 U.S. universities and institutions hopes to build the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope – the biggest, best telescope in the world to study the sun – on the summit of Haleakalā on Maui. Astronomy development has always been a controversial issue for Native Hawaiians, both on Haleakalā and Mauna Kea on Hawai'i Island. Here, two Kanaka Maoli offer their perspectives for and against building the proposed observatory atop the Haleakalā. For information on public meeings and how to submit comment on a supplemental draft EIS, see Nūhou.

I am in favor, as a Kanaka Maoli and an astrophysicist, of building the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope on Haleakalā. Astronomy is an integral part of our culture. Every Kanaka Maoli has original ancestors who came here on a canoe, which was led by a kahuna who knew kilo hōkū, or astronomy. Queen Lili'uokalani said it best, "The ancient Hawaiians were astronomers." We may have lost sight of that fact.

A balance between culture and science is seen in the life of Kalākaua Ali'i. He brought hula back into the mainstream and we honor him annually with the Merrie Monarch Festival. But don't forget, he also brought telescopes to Hawai'i and invited astronomers to come here as part of an international effort to measure the distance from the Earth to the sun.

Kalākaua addressed those astronomers in 1874: "It will afford me unfeigned satisfaction if my kingdom can add its quota toward the successful accomplishment of the most important astronomical observation of the present century and assist, however humbly, the enlightened nations of the Earth in these costly enterprises..."

He brought Hawai'i into the modern age by introducing electricity, telephones, etc., and bought telescopes. He would certainly be in favor of getting the best solar telescope in the world for Haleakalā.

Perhaps he would also be dismayed, as I am, at how few Kanaka Maoli are involved in astronomy. He might try to prepare our people for future jobs, just as he did with his "Students Abroad" program where he sent Kanaka Maoli to various countries to learn about modern science and bring that knowledge back to Hawai'i. If he were king now, this discussion would not be happening. Rather, we would be discussing how we could fast-track our students to be in a position to run the astronomy effort in Hawai'i.

When I see telescopes on our mountains, I'm proud that we are participating in the noble human pursuit of understanding the universe. But I also know we are wasting this opportunity to reconnect with an important part of our cultural past – one which could take our children into the future.

Haleakalā has the best combination of seeing, sunshine hours and sky clarity of any of the sites investigated for ATST. What better place to observe the sun than the "House of the Sun"? Māui slowed the sun so that Hina could dry her kapa. Instead of breaking the legs of Lā, we will use the ATST to understand how those "legs" work. This unique telescope will be able to investigate magnetic activity and variability to a degree not possible with current telescopes.

Only the best for our sacred mountain – this is the best! Let's get our keiki involved!

Paul Coleman, a Native Hawaiian, is an associate astronomer at the University of Hawai'i Institute for Astronomy.