Points of historical clarification
Duane Sherman’s letter to the editor claims that hula was banned after the monarchy was overthrown. The missionaries disapproved of hula as being lascivious and convinced those alii who converted to Christianity to ban it. Gradually the ban was ignored and King Kalakaua actually promoted hula. All of this occurred before the overthrow.
The Hawaiian language was never forbidden by law. Under the republic education was made compulsory. Classes were required to be taught in English. The law did not apply to other schools such as Sunday schools or foreign language schools. Newspapers printed in the Hawaiian language were popular and continued until 1948.
I recall my family doctor, who was ethnic Chinese, speaking to his patients in Hawaiian. While the Hawaiian language was discouraged at one time, it was never banned.
Don Baker
Volcano
First remove, then build TMT
Maunakea is a sacred place for old Hawaii and again with the resurgence of the Hawaiian culture and the recalling of those ancient practices — practices steeped in spirituality and observation.
The University of Hawaii at Hilo has done a terrible job in the stewardship of Maunakea.
I will not support the Thirty Meter Telescope until all those existing observatories not in use are dismantled and removed from the mountain.
The placement of the TMT should be on the grounds already scarred by those observatories that have to be removed.
End of the line.
Kelley Sonognini
Kailua-Kona
What about first overthrow?
WHT columnist Dennis Gregory brought up a good point with his latest commentary about the illegal takeover. A very long time ago, before humans were around the Hawaiian archipelago, Mother Nature existed peacefully on these islands. There were no bloody battles and the land was open to all. Then along came humans. They were not invited, they just came and took over the islands for themselves bringing their human traits such as wars and religion.
They built their homes and religious alters, all on land that they stole from Mother Nature. Maunakea belonged to Mother Nature first. The Hawaiians did not want anyone else coming to their land. Now Hawaiians are calling that all this belongs only to them! What gives them this right? They overthrew Mother Nature to claim the islands and all the lands for themselves. They did not bring peace and harmony. How much human blood has been spilled on these islands from terrible wars? Then along came Kamehameha and there was more bloodshed when he conquered all of the islands. Funny thing, there have been no great bloody inter-island massacres since they became part of the United States.
The Hawaiians are upset that foreigners came in and took over their land. This is the same thing that they did to Mother Nature, but they think that they are the only ones with this right. Many want the foreigners to leave, but yet, the Hawaiians don’t want to leave and turn these islands back over to Mother Nature.
Ted Johnson
Kailua-Kona