Why the MKSOA shouldn’t be allowed to have private “ho`oponopono” meetings
KAHEA board member Jon Osorio testifying at HB2692 hearing
At its February 21, 2024 hearing, we asked the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee to oppose HB2692, which exempts the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA) from Sunshine Law open meeting requirements through 2028 in order to conduct ho`oponopono. Measure Status (hawaii.gov) Some representatives opposed (Ganaden, Souza, and Holt), but the majority passed it without comment.
Why do we care if MKSOA is allowed to hold private meetings for ho`oponopono?
First, the Sunshine Law’s open meetings ensure regular people get notice of agency decisions and can observe board deliberations, so we know why they voted a certain way. HB2692 exempts MKSOA from this AND does not limit MKSOA’s private meetings to “ho`oponopono”, so they could deliberate on anything (we wouldn’t know what) and take a pro forma vote in public.
Second, what goes on under “ho`oponopono” is of grave concern, particularly when it is going on about Mauna Kea. As recently as January 5, 2024, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan stated: “in Hawai‘i, we began a dialogue with volunteers for mediation, called ho‘oponopono” which “laid the foundation for the current dialog being conducted by [MKSOA]” and they counted amongst “visible improvements in the TMT situation” that “MKSOA, which includes indigenous people, is steadily building its organizational structure[.]”
Kanaka Maoli consent is key also to the Canadian Astronomical Association (CASCA), who wrote in 2020: “Unless the TMT project has consent from the Native Hawaiians, Canada’s astronomical community cannot support its construction on Maunakea.” Long Range Plan 2020-2030 (LRP2020) – CASCA
On October 4, 2023, Senator Schatz discussed TMT construction funds for 2025, stating: “we obviously don’t have it squared away on the Hawai`i side, but we have to move along on parallel paths in case this comes together.” CHIPS and Science Implementation and Oversight (youtube.com) at 35:40 min.
Who is going to be part of MKSOA’s “ho`oponopono” sessions? Will TMT partners (again) point to these private meetings as evidence of forward motion towards Kanaka Maoli consent? The political architects of the MKSOA designed it to facilitate the TMT. We do not question the sincere efforts of some members to use MKSOA to protect Mauna Kea from threats, including the TMT. However, MKSOA has done nothing to dispel the (incorrect) perception that its existence is evidence that Kanaka Maoli are softening towards the TMT.
Adding MKSOA private meetings to this bundle of “ho`oponopono” performances, the need for Kanaka Maoli consent, and congressional movement to set TMT funds in place invites misdeeds, misunderstanding, and will erode any chance MKSOA may have to set things right for Mauna Kea.
Please urge your House representative to vote NO on HB2692 at the House Floor vote on February __, 2024.
Further reading:
Remember the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority? — KAHEA
[1] Page 61 of Mary Kawena Pukui’s Nānā i ke Kumu Vol 1. explains that it was a process used at a family scale and states plainly, "... hoʻoponopono was not a community-wide therapy," and It is unclear whether “ho‘oponopono” is being appropriately used in this context.
[2] NAOJ “A new-year’s message from the Director General (Jan. 5, 2024) www.nao.ac.jp/en/news/topics/2024/20240105-new-years-message.html
