04-24-2015, 04:56 AM
I had read that pu'u on the top of Mauna Kea were the most sacred sites and my understanding is that the TMT will not be built on one of these.
Can anyone corroborate this assertion or have anything to add to this?
I, generally, understand that there are/were many sites held 'sacred' by the Hawaiians and from this I make the supposition that some places are/were more 'sacred' than others. From this supposition I take that not all land is 'sacred' in that why would a specific site be termed 'sacred' if all land were generally held to be 'sacred' the redundancy negates that avenue of logic.
I have also read that many of these 'sacred' sites are/were now sites of parks, military bases, etc. So, I too, wonder why a vocal minority would choose to protest the site of building a new telescope instead of something else.
I find it especially frustrating considering the claims that these protestors are not anti-science and that their ethnic group apparently once had a strong tradition and understanding of practicing astronomy, albeit primitive, long ago.
Can anyone corroborate this assertion or have anything to add to this?
I, generally, understand that there are/were many sites held 'sacred' by the Hawaiians and from this I make the supposition that some places are/were more 'sacred' than others. From this supposition I take that not all land is 'sacred' in that why would a specific site be termed 'sacred' if all land were generally held to be 'sacred' the redundancy negates that avenue of logic.
I have also read that many of these 'sacred' sites are/were now sites of parks, military bases, etc. So, I too, wonder why a vocal minority would choose to protest the site of building a new telescope instead of something else.
I find it especially frustrating considering the claims that these protestors are not anti-science and that their ethnic group apparently once had a strong tradition and understanding of practicing astronomy, albeit primitive, long ago.