State lawmakers and the Office of Maunakea Management today criticized a video on social media that shows three people skiing and snowboarding on Puʻu Poliʻahu on Maunakea.
State lawmakers and the Office of Maunakea Management today criticized a video on social media that shows three people skiing and snowboarding on Puʻu Poliʻahu on Maunakea.
Part of the video, which quickly went viral, shows one of the individuals skiing over bare rock.
Puʻu Poliʻahu is a volcanic cone that is not only the highest point on the mountain, but is also considered sacred to Native Hawaiians. The area is managed by the University of Hawaii.
“First and foremost, this act was disrespectful to Native Hawaiians and to everyone who considers the mountain sacred,” said Stephanie Nagata, director of UH-Hilo’s Office of Maunakea Management, in a statement released this afternoon.
The skiers and snowboarders never applied for a required film permit, and that permission would have never been granted for such activities, Nagata said.
Members of the state Legislature’s Hawaiian Caucus called a news conference for later today to discuss the video and to condemn the actions by the skiers and snowboarders.
