By June 2019, the governor issued a notice for development to proceed, and announced that construction would commence on July 15, 2019. In both cases, the settler colonial state breaches its own laws, degrades the Hawaiian people’s culture, and abuses our homeland in the name of “progress” and “development.” All this while destroying the environment and island ecosystems for profit and violating the collective will of Kanaka Maoli governance.įollowing a protracted legal battle, on October 30, 2018, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court ruled in favor of the TMT and affirmed the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ decision to issue a permit. The Pu‘uhonua o Pu‘uhuluhulu can be seen as a microcosm of the history of Hawai‘i’s (U.S.) statehood and earlier American encroachment. But the kia‘i are still there now, holding steadfast to protect the site Thus far, it has survived the police arresting dozens of elders the first weekend and the state governor’s July 17 declaration of a “state emergency”-an excuse to call in the National Guard along with riot police from several other islands. At the time of this writing the blockade is still active.
That same weekend over three thousand individuals gathered at the site, to effectively halt construction trucks from ascending the mountain. The pronouncement was made in advance of what was to be the start of construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), a $1.4 billion project for an eighteen-story observatory on the summit of this mountain (the highest in the world at 32,000 feet, from seafloor to summit).
In Hawaiian tradition, during times of conflict, a Puʻuhonua is a place designated to provide safety and protection.
The Royal Order is an order of knighthood established by Kamehameha V in 1865, to promote and defend the Hawaiian sovereignty, and thus to honor the legacy of his grandfather who established the monarchy. The Royal Order of Kamehameha declared the sanctuary-called Pu‘uhonua o Pu‘uhuluhulu-in collaboration with, and in support of the kiaʻi (protectors) of Maunakea at sunrise on July 13, 2019. Uahikea Maile.Īs I reflect on the 60 th anniversary of the United States claiming the Hawaiian Islands as the 50 th state of the union, August 21, 1959, I want to call attention to something powerful unfolding at a place of refuge, established at the base of Maunakea (aka Mauna a Wākea and Mauna Kea), a sacred mountain on the Hawai‘i Island that iscurrently under threat. Kiaʻi (protectors) gather together for noon ceremony on Jat the base of Mauna Kea.
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