Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 5, 1 May 2015 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

t is a story of a mauna and of Native Hawaiians: of years of hearings and board meetings. It is a story of a telescope and Native Hawaiians. It is a story about our kūpuna and their struggle and we the descendants who are obligated to perpetuate their legacy, their tradition, their heritage. It is about Mauna a Wākea.

But it is also a story about our collective kuleana as Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians and how we

need to ensure the bndges we buiid are stronger than blockades and telescopes. Mauna Kea is not about a telescope the size of Aloha Stadium nor is it about science or environment. Mauna a Wākea is about how we as

kanaka, we as human beings, we as people live in harmony with that whieh is sacred. It's about responsible development while i fully understanding the cultural impact of 4 desecrating ancient sites. Mauna a Wākea is about leadership of our next generation stepping up and out. Leadership of government and the university reaching out to the community. Personally, I wonder how mueh is TOO mueh. I wonder whether we let people talk about aloha 'āina without understanding what that really means? Do we really need 14 telescopes on Mauna Kea?

The current leaders, Gov. David Ige and LJniversity President David Lassner inherited this issue. That doesn't excuse them from what is happening today, because they aren't new to the state. But that also doesn't excuse anyone else, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Yes, this has been seven years in the making and there were numerous public meetings and hearings. Those running

the Thirty Meter Telescope have also gone beyond previous telescopes in giving back to the community.

Looking back, it probably wasn't enough. Maybe all of us, including OHA, needed to fiaure out how to put our

differences aside and build bridges with the community. Strong robust bridges stronger than any telescope; stronger than any blockade.

To be fair to the staff at OHA, we've been watching this and providing input at public meetings for many years. Our efforts are often unsung, but the staff is diligent and hard working. We

need to build a better bridge, more bridges with our eommunity to hear their concerns and to understand their struggles. We have to, we ean, and we will do better. The checks and balances of government lead to adversarial situations: we're fighting for you. But we have to do better. Many are rightly asking whether OHA is listening. Are we listening to the pain and cries of our people? Could have we done more to ensure our community was engaged earlier to head off a potential confrontation? And do we understand the new generation who have conquered western education and at the same time are grounded in our culture? Have we done enough to bring them into the conversation? We, as leaders, are in a unique position to build bridges and bring people together. We ean and must talk to state and university leaders to bring a better understanding of us as a native people and find constructive solutions. And today, the state and university are willing to listen. Yes, we are building a bridge. After all, when Native Hawaiians thrive, so does all of Hawai'i. You are Mauna Kea. I amMauna Kea. We are Mauna Kea. '0 au iho nō me ke aloha a me ka 'oia'i'o, Kamana'opono M. Crabbe, Ph.D. Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive Officer

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