Foes of the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope asked the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees on Thursday to reverse itself and come out against the $1.4 billion project on the summit of Mauna Kea.
The trustees, who offered their unanimous support to the project six years ago and declined to challenge it in a contested case hearing last year, said they would review the record, gather up the facts and reopen the question, possibly as early as the board’s next meeting, April 23.
"The mana of this mauna is surrounding us," Kauai trustee Dan Ahuna said. "The people are right. We need to do the right thing."
Meanwhile, Gov. David Ige journeyed to the mountaintop Wednesday evening to pray, make an offering and meet with the demonstrators a day after he announced a one-week "timeout" in construction to "evaluate the situation from multiple perspectives."
Asked about the visit, Cindy McMillan, Ige’s communications director, said Thursday that the "governor is honoring the ‘timeout,’ and we won’t be providing any additional information or statement at this time."
But word of the Mauna Kea visit came out at the OHA board meeting in Honolulu, and the "protectors" on the mountain later described the visit as "light and positive" with "no hard conversations and no negotiations."
Kealoha Pisciotta, a leader with the Mauna Kea Hui, said the governor’s staff asked in advance whether the governor could travel up the mountain and pray without having it turning into a photo opportunity or political debate.
Pisciotta said the group honored Ige’s request, saying the governor would at least benefit from soaking in the majesty of the mountain and help put the dilemma in context.
They greeted Ige and his chief of staff, Mike McCartney, at the 6,000-foot level and accompanied them to their camp at the 9,200-foot level, where they prayed with the demonstrators.
Next, the governor gave an offering of maile lei at the altar behind the nearby Visitor Information Center. According to the center’s website, the "ahulele" is for offerings to "family, the earth/environment and gods/goddesses."
Ige then went with some of the Mauna Kea Hui members in a van to the summit, where they watched the sunset and the rising stars. Later, Pisciotta said, Ige and staff ate with the protesters down at their camp, sharing hot noodles and hot chocolate.
The group shared stories, Ige asked questions and the group members answered as much as they could, Pisciotta said.
"They talked about why they believe and what they believe in and why they want to make a change," she said.
Lanakila Mangauil, another anti-telescope leader, said he hoped Ige was able to gain a new perspective.
"If anyone is in the midst of it, that person would make a deeper connection either way," he said. "In my heart I hope he could feel the place for himself."
Earlier in the day, Ige spoke of the project to a Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce luncheon and, according to the West Hawaii Today, said, "You can rest assured that all previous agreements and decisions will be honored."
Ige also said he has "done a lot of listening to get a 360-degree view of the project," and will continue to listen during the next few days, the newspaper reported.
"It’s really about listening and finding a way for discovery and sacred sites to coexist on a very important asset," Ige said.
Thirty-one protesters were arrested on the mountain April 2 trying to prevent workers from reaching the summit construction site. Crews have not returned to the construction site since the arrests, but the protesters have continued to maintain a 24-hour presence on the mountain.
The demonstrators describe the mountain as sacred and say the proposed 180-foot-tall telescope dome is a desecration, threatening sacred shrines and burials and adding to a mountaintop already crowded by 13 telescopes.
Astronomers say the Thirty Meter Telescope will be the most advanced and powerful optical telescope on Earth, capable of viewing galaxies at the edge of the observable universe, near the beginning of time.
At the OHA meeting in Honolulu on Thursday, telescope foes held signs saying, "Too many telescopes," "D-occupy Maunakea" and "We are protectors, not protesters."
Speakers said demonstrations have been held — and are being planned — throughout Hawaii, with a new generation of Hawaiians using social media as a powerful tool.
"With all respect, this is going to be bigger than Kahoolawe, because there is no problem getting people on board. This thing is going viral — national, international. Hawaiians are coming out of the woodwork," said Andre Perez, a University of Hawaii teaching assistant and leader with MANA: Movement for Aloha no ka Aina.
Laulani Teale said the "protectors … are very, very serious," adding, "They are not going away. And the TMT, in short, is not going to be built."
Ilima Long of Mana agreed, saying the telescope is going to be blocked with or without the help of OHA.
"I’m seeing for the first time what unity looks like amongst our people. And it’s incredible and powerful," Long said.
In 2009 the OHA trustees unanimously adopted a resolution in support of the Mauna Kea project. Last year the trustees decided the agency wouldn’t attempt to block the project after considering whether to challenge the sublease awarded to TMT in a contested case hearing.
