A JOINT STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTORS OF MAUNAKEA OBSERVATORIES

The Maunakea Observatories (MKO) jointly acknowledge the evolution of governance for Maunakea to a model of mutual stewardship, centering the Mauna above all. We likewise have chosen to embrace evolution within our institutions. Over the last decade, many important changes in the MKO’s collective objectives and priorities have taken place. Some of these changes have been widely visible, while others have been less public. The leaders of the MKO wish to make these objectives, priorities and commitments clear to the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA), to our elected and appointed officials, and to our broader community:  

• We acknowledge that the community’s experience with astronomy on Maunakea has been mixed. We have learned from and continue to learn from that complex history as we strive always to be better community members and neighbors. 

• It is an honor to conduct research on Maunakea: a wahi pana whose significance goes far beyond the scientific contributions from our astronomy facilities. Our purpose is to expand the information about our collective origins on behalf of future generations. We are committed to supporting funds and programs that enrich the lives of community members, create education and employment pathways, and contribute to the betterment of the mauna for all. 

• We understand that these telescope sites are part of the Hawaiʻi Public Land Trust, and the history of its land tenure is complex and unresolved. We acknowledge that the factors considered in land use decisions that established the astronomy facilities on Maunakea have evolved considerably over time. As we move forward, a different approach to land authorization terms is not only necessary, it is the right thing to do: to ensure community perspectives are genuinely incorporated and there are equitable benefits to the people of Hawaiʻi for the use of this public land.

• The interdependent exchange of ideas is a central tenet of our work. We understand that we honor complementary knowledge systems – including the indigenous knowledge of this place – by learning from them, while reciprocating by openly sharing ours. We know that this exchange is essential to deepening our shared understanding of Maunakea and the Universe we study from its heights. 

• We view the establishment of the MKSOA as an important and profound balancing of decision-making authority and embrace the foundational principle of community-led mutual stewardship that the MKSOA represents. We commit to productively engaging in and supporting the MKSOA’s transition and management planning process and supporting the authority and decisions of MKSOA going forward.

We recognize that our endeavors are inseparably and profoundly tied to the land and the people who steward it. Indigenous knowledge, Maunakea’s unique and exceptional natural attributes, the partnership and considerable support of the Hawaiʻi Island community, and the curiosity and drive of the scientific community have led to the global leadership role Hawaiʻi has played in humanity’s understanding of the Universe for decades.

We commit to continuing the highest pursuit of knowledge and forging deep connections built on mutual understanding and respect — on Maunakea and in Hawaiʻi — an opportunity that we work to earn every day by being good stewards of that privilege.