Column: Mauna Kea and a culture of respect

I’m a Native Hawaiian, and I hear lots of talk about respect. Yet when I go up Maunakea, I don’t see anything representing Hawaiian values. I don’t see any respect for Hawaiian culture, tradition, or thinking there, or for Hawaiian approaches to astronomy and voyaging.

All I see are telescopes, standing like massive temples.

Where is the physical presence on the mountain that houses the Hawaiian view of the universe? Where is the respect? There is none — but there should be.

House Resolution 33 convenes a working group to make recommendations for a new Maunakea governance and management structure. The working group was requested to consider the independent evaluation of the implementation of the Maunakea Comprehensive Management Plan Resources by Kuiwalu.

Its report concluded that the University of Hawaii (UH) did effectively implement most of the management actions about protecting natural and cultural resources.

However, it found that UH neglected to implement management actions designed to respect Hawaiian cultural practices and resources and allow for education and outreach. Those actions were intended to restore trust between the native Hawaiian community and UH, which is still lacking.

It’s time for a big-picture change here in Hawai‘i. Let’s create a culture and science center above the clouds on Maunakea, one that supports present and future generations of Hawaiians who work in cultural preservation, education, language, research, science, and ecology.

We’re not talking about a small building the size of your garage. We’re proposing a thoughtfully designed center that’s large enough for meaningful work. The center could incorporate Papaku Makawalu, a methodology for teaching and understanding Hawaiian culture, including Hawaiian knowledge and values.

Papaku Makawalu is documented in the Kumulipo, and it’s being revitalized by the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation. The culture and science center above the clouds would be the papaku (foundation). The makawalu (seeds) would be the Hawaiian culture and science nourished there and spread around the world.

There is a state Department of Land and Natural Resouces-controlled piece of land a quarter-mile west of Hale Pohaku, at the same elevation, that would work well for this center.

The governor, state Legislature, and DLNR should hand over that piece of land to an appropriate independent group. Once that’s done, we don’t anticipate any problem raising the needed funds to build the culture and science center.

It’s about respect.

Right now, I’m watching the kolea birds that migrate between here and Alaska every year. Their only source of energy is the food they eat, and that energy lets them fly all the way from Hawai‘i to Alaska. They’ve evolved to use the resources available to them.

Our Hawaiian ancestors, too, used the resources around them and created a successful environment and culture that thrived. They understood science and ecology, and we can learn from how they thought and acted.

In contrast, our modern society has evolved to use external resources for energy. The problem? Our resources are starting to decline. We’ve created a complex economic system that depends on oil, and we expect it to always be there, but it won’t be.

Let’s learn from our ancestors and honor that knowledge by creating a center for Papaku Makawalu on the mountain. Let’s show respect for our Hawaiian ancestors and our grandchildren yet to come.

Richard Ha is a Big Island resident and board member of PUEO (Perpetuating Unique Educational Opportunities).