DEV>FFM Day 31: kia'i

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Kū kiaʻi mauna.

Challenge completed with a shell where it shouldn't be and all mandatory words. (Changed 'tuque' to 'toque' because American English)

Thanks to neurotype for the idea, Pidgin sci-fi it is! Someday I'll translate the entire thing, but I was rushing so it's only dialogue. HCE is inseparable from Hawaiian, so I just put some Hawaiians in space.

Kia'i means protector.

Ka'imilani can be translated as "heavenly search".

malama - to protect, to care for

Here's your political story of the day. As much as I looooove space and astronomy, telescopes aren't more important than people. Science is not more important than people. Money should not be more important than people. This is what Hawaii has been, what it has become, and when it beats down the people for loud mouths with PhDs and fancy English, it will still be.

(Confused? Google "Mauna Kea" and see what the fuss is about. And then watch this. )

EDIT:

I feel compelled to clarify that, although I talk big here, I've been undecided about TMT since the beginning, even when joining my halau to dance in protest of TMT in 2015. As a non-Hawaiian, I don't feel my personal opinions need to be aired. What I AM passionate about is the native community having their voices heard and respected.

HOWEVER.

My husband, da Hawaiian, is not anti-TMT. He doesn't support sovereignty, he doesn't involve himself in Hawaiian culture outside of close family and mandatory college classes, and I'm pretty sure I use more Pidgin than he does. (And possibly better than he does, don't tell him that)

He's expected to "be Hawaiian" and have that mean a singular thing, a singular thought, a singular opinion, and my husband is a very smart man and not a fan of having his own culture shoved down his throat. There's an element of poverty and classism, I think, too. I absolutely support my guy first and foremost, and that goes back to having native voices heard and respected - it includes him. Puts me in a weird spot sometimes, though.

I always look at all sides of an issue and I respect those supporting the telescopes. I don't like the vitriol I see on Facebook from both sides. Mind you, some TMT supporters are jerks and most of the protectors are peaceful and gracious, but there is no truly happy ending that I can see. Hawaii cannot support itself on culture alone and the loss of TMT may cause economic damage that will for sure trickle down to our poorest, and those are the ones most in need of protection.

Just some thoughts. I'd love to hear yours.

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