Ask the gods ADVERTISING Ask the gods It was reported in the news that a group of young Western tourists trekked to the summit of Mount Kinabalu, which is the tallest mountain in Malaysia and considered sacred by many Malaysians.
Ask the gods
It was reported in the news that a group of young Western tourists trekked to the summit of Mount Kinabalu, which is the tallest mountain in Malaysia and considered sacred by many Malaysians.
After reaching the summit, a small group of the tourists took nude selfies. Then, on June 5, there was a magnitude 6.0 earthquake that killed 18 people on the mountain.
A few days later, four of the young people were arrested and charged with public obscenity. Local officials were quoted as saying there was no doubt the tourists’ activities were the cause of the earthquake.
This story brings to mind the current tension on Mauna Kea. It is interesting that the gods/goddesses who are said to reside on Mauna Kea have not shown any such displeasure during the past more than 30 years of telescope construction and astronomy research on Mauna Kea. Indeed, it has been said astronomy research is exactly in tune with the knowledge of the constellations the Polynesians brought to Hawaii.
I suggest to the Mauna Kea protesters a way out of the current impasse: Pray with great urgency to the Hawaiian gods to show a sign of their anger about the Thirty Meter Telescope project. A godly earthquake to topple the existing telescopes and/or a lava flow from the dormant volcano right over the TMT construction site might be enough to chase the TMT to Chile and abolish astronomy from Hawaii.
However, if there is no sign by a certain date, say July 1, 2015, then we have to assume the TMT has not caused distress to the deities of the mountain, and therefore construction can proceed as soon as possible.
Adrienne S. Dey
Hilo
More on ‘aloha’
Speaking of misusing the word “aloha,” how about all those plastic tiki sold in souvenir shops, selling many exact likenesses of authentic Hawaiian tiki carvings and labeling them as God of Love, God of Money, God of Luck, God of Passion, and so on.
What once was respected, feared and loved by the ancients has for many years become so commercialized.
Back to the word aloha: Look in the white pages of the telephone directory of all islands and you will be surprised to see how many businesses use aloha in their names, including sewage-pumping, trash collection, termite eradication and towing services.
Personally, naming a movie “Aloha,” especially a movie about love and comedy, is a good way to nationally promote the Hawaiian language.
Rick LaMontagne
Hilo
