WE ARE MAUNA KEA

Mauna Kea as seen from the Mauna Loa observatory. | (Machemer, 2020)

(On The Roam, 2019)

A dormant volcano and the tallest mountain on earth from its base to its peak, Mauna Kea is located on the island of Hawai’i. Originating deep within the Pacific Ocean [1], the magnificent natural edifice is the most sacred mountain to Native Hawai’ians.

The TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope) is a proposed project for the largest visible-light telescope [2] due to the optimal observing conditions [3] which exist atop Mauna Kea. The TMT mega-telescope would change the face of astronomy in real time. Allowing scientists and astronomers to peer into the universe with sharper vision [4] than ever before. The island chain of Hawai’i — one of the world’s best platforms for stargazing has become a symbol for optimal astronomical research. [5] But starkly, the fight against the TMT, with natives encamped near Mauna Kea’s base since July 2020 has become a symbol for the historical inequities in Hawaii since 1898.”[6]

To see the stars closer and reach for further galaxies, but at what cost – Scientific advancement will never be the driving force of what turns out world around. We are human with feelings and beliefs. We pray, we ask for healing. We wake up each morning knowing that our loved ones think about us, we share good morning messages, and our overly-excited pet charges through the door for a jolly-good licking session. Your cat stares through your soul, you have a staring competition with the lizard on the wall. Your neighbour bakes you cupcakes. We can’t work without love and peace. There wouldn’t be a reason to without it. The day we won’t need that will mean that we wouldn’t be humans anymore, but mechanical vessels with little importance for someone else’s beliefs.

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References

[1] National Ocean Service. (n.d.). What is the highest point on Earth as measured from Earth's center? Retrieved from National Ocean Service: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/highestpoint.html

[2] Wikipedia. (2021, April 16). Thirty Meter Telescope. Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Meter_Telescope#Proposed_locations

[3] “Ibid.”

[4] Witze, A. (2020, January 14). How the fight over a Hawaii mega-telescope could change astronomy. Retrieved from Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00076-7#:~:text=Mauna%20Kea%2C%20Hawaii&text=They%20are%20preventing%20construction%20workers,vision%20than%20nearly%20any%20other.

[5] “Ibid.”

[6] “Ibid.”

Video Source

On The Roam. (2019, August 15). WE ARE MAUNA KEA. Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2w8TWpSfgQ

Image Source

Machemer, T. (2020, May 26). Mauna Kea’s Quakes Might Be Caused by Shifting Gas. Retrieved from Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mauna-keas-quakes-might-be-caused-shifting-gas-180974968/