what’s going on?

• Native Hawaiians are protesting the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Hawaii’s sacred tallest mountain

• Protesters have been arrested and Hawaii’s governor, David Ige, has issued an “emergency proclamation” that gives law enforcement more options to break up the human blockade - BBC

why is this happening?

• Maunakea is one of the most sacred sites in Hawaiian cosmology, and the mountain contains many historical, cultural, and natural resources as well as burial sites - Vox

• Astronomers want the TMT to be built on Maunakea to see the universe’s oldest stars and look for potential signs of life on exoplanets (its mirror rendering images would eb 12 times sharper than the Hubble Space Telescope) - VICE

• 13 major telescopes already exist on the summit, and many were supposed to be the ‘last one’ - NYT, CNN

• The legal fight over Maunakea has been going on for years, but the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that construction of the TMT could proceed

• On July 15th, Gov. Ige said construction would begin for the $1.4 billion TMT project

• A group of elders, known as kūpuna, lined up on the road leading up to the summit of Mauna Kea to block access to construction trucks while other protesters worked to make sure the elders’ health and nutritional needs were taken care of

• On July 17th, the kūpuna began being arrested - at least 33 were arrested

• Protesters want to bring attention to the fact that the “state’s economic interests [are] being given priority over Native Hawaiian cultural and land use rights” - NYT

• The construction of the TMT on a mountain with sacred value for native Hawaiians is a painful reminder of the island’s colonial history

what’s happening now?

• Native Hawaiians are continuing to protest and blockade the roadway leading to the summit of Maunakea

• Celebrities like Dwayne Johnson as well as politicians like Congresswomen Tulsi Gabbard and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have shown their support for the protests

what can I do?

• Amplify the voices of Native Hawaiians and share the importance of the mountain’s sacred value

• Sign the petition for the construction of the TMT to be stopped

• Sign the petition to stop the construction of the TMT and the arrests of Mauna Kea protectors

• Donate to Mauna Kea Education and Awareness or Mauna Kea Legal Defense Fund to help raise funds for legal fees and other costs associated with protecting Mauna Kea

some organizations involved:

• Protect Mauna Kea - provides resources for taking action for anyone interested in protecting Mauna Kea

• KAHEA - works to revitalize and protect Hawaii’s natural and cultural resources

• Mauna Kea Education and Awareness - works to educate and raise awareness about the “spiritual, historical, cultural, environmental, and political significance of Mauna Kea”

social media guide:

• Hashtags to use/follow: #ProtectMaunaKea, #KuKiaiMauna, #ThirtyMeterTelescope, #AoleTMT, #WeAreMaunaKea

• Accounts to follow: @kehaulyons, @oha_hawaii, @MilekaLincoln on Twitter and @protectmaunakea on Instagram

• Sample posts/stories/profile photos:

more information:

• Check out the Pacific Standard article talking about scientists who are supporting the protest