Letter: Kings wouldn’t support so many observatories

Mahalo to Chad Kalepa Baybayan’s well-written and thoughtful article about King Kamehameha I and King Kalakaua’s support of astronomical studies and observatories (“Kamehameha bridged modern astronomy, cultural beliefs,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 19).

As he points out, astronomy was a foundational pillar of Hawaiian culture, so it natural for these monarchs to feel a responsibility to perpetuate these studies. However, as stewards of the land, I doubt very much that they would have approved the overabundance of observatories at one site.

The University of Hawaii and its astronomy partners have consistently mismanaged the mountain and have not fulfilled their end of the bargain in protecting the mauna in reasonable and sustainable ways.

Allowing yet another telescope is tantamount to giving in to a crying child who demands having more and more ice cream.

The situation at the mauna is much the same. Enough is enough.

Nanette Naioma Napoleon

Kailua

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