I’ve heard, on and off, about the Hawaii’an independence movement for maybe 30 years now; I have a vague memory of seeing something about it in Whole Earth Review, but their archives show nothing. I have some sympathy for them, as the USA basically overran their island chain.
I also qualify, I think, as a science-groupy.
So this news, from Hawaii News Now, caught my attention:
Protests against the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope has spread far beyond the slopes of Mauna Kea. Rallies are now springing up around Hawaii, the mainland and around the world.
The movement against the telescope has been growing, even as construction has been halted for a week atop Mauna Kea.
The telescope is controversial because of its location:
“Mauna Kea is sacred, and our children are taught to respect our `aina,” said teacher Leo Akana. “They understand that science is an important thing, but I think the state needs to realize that Hawaiians were the very first astronomers here.”
Definition of ‘aina, courtesy HuffPo, in an unrelated article:
Aina means land. Life in Hawaii is lived outdoors — malls, homes, offices, and even the airport are built with open-air walkways, large windows, or lanais (balconies or patios) so you’re never fully indoors. Native Hawaiians see their identities and wellbeing entwined with the land, and so respecting it and living in it are of the utmost importance.
PhysicsWorld reports on the suggested compromise:
Since 1968 the University of Hawaii has leased more than 44.5 km2 of land on Mauna Kea from the Hawaiian Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) for scientific purposes, with the highest 2.1 km2 devoted to astronomy research. The top of Mauna Kea is already home to 13 telescopes, and the TMT will be the largest and most powerful instrument when it is operational in 2023. The telescope’s 30 m primary mirror will be made of 492 hexagonal segments, and a structure 66 m wide and 56 m tall will house the telescope. The TMT will sit on a plateau about 500 feet below the summit, a location picked to reduce the telescope’s visibility from the majority of the island.
Fewer telescopes
Construction of the TMT had been halted in early April following protests by native Hawaiians, who see its construction on Mauna Kea as desecration of their spiritual and cultural pinnacle. Over the past eight weeks, Ige has mostly stayed quiet regarding the protests, but now, along with giving permission for construction to restart, he requests that the university returns all of the land not used for astronomy to the jurisdiction of the DLNR. He also says that the University of Hawaii should begin decommissioning one telescope later this year with at least one-quarter of the remainder to be completely dismantled by the time the TMT is operational, with each site to be returned to its natural state.
Mauna Kea has some of the best astronomical observing conditions in the world, so losing some of the observatories will hurt some of the astronomy researchers. Additionally, telescopes are specialized, so sharing is not as easy.
But we’re a democracy first, and science-based second. As a cohesive minority, and previous owners (not the right term, but it’s what we have), we need to recall that democracies exist to bring disparate groups with disparate belief systems together through compromise. I’m well aware that some scientists have no time for other groups religious beliefs, but as an agnostic I do try to have some respect – since I have no idea which, if any, is correct – but that’s a matter for another post.
I’m also aware of the mostly undescribed provincialism of many scientists. This takes the form of putting the needs of science ahead of anything else. It’s usually not a problem in astronomy, but anthropologists often demonstrate it – on themselves. The Kennewick Man controversy brought the pot to a boil, but the problem was recognized and initially dealt with by the Federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) law. This law compels federally-funded scientists and institutions to return American Indian remains and other cultural items to the relevant tribes; indeed, often without any study other than that necessary to determine whether the remains are American Indian and which tribe might be best suited to take custody. This caused quite an uproar as scientists lamented the loss of materials which might not have given up all of their data.
Another example came when Hershel Shanks, founder & editor of Biblical Archaeology Review, searching for a way to curtail widespread looting of ancient remains in the Biblical lands, hit upon the realization that such research resulted in the collection of thousands of oil lamps and pots, and he suggested these be placed on the legitimate market as a way to satisfy the demand for ancient remains by amateur collectors, thus reducing the prices paid for black market wares, and discouraging the looters. The archaeological establishment just about burst a blood vessel, as I recall. (Mr. Shanks also filled an instrumental role in the release of the Dead Sea Scrolls from the academic ghetto they’d fallen into. All this from a lawyer pursuing a passion, too. He’s a minor hero for me.)
In a way, it’s understandable. Science takes time and, often, monomaniacism; thinking about the mindsets of groups with little relation to yours is difficult, especially when they may have data critical to your scientific endeavour. But need doesn’t prioritize their desires over others. Nor does it work the other way.
Compromise.
(h/t NewScientist 6 June 2015, paywall)
