Important Public meeting on Geothermal
Jim
Geothermal update 8/13/12 from Bob Petricci. See below.
I have been looking at and talking to people about something I believe the health study group including me overlooked and does not understand well.
As explained to me:
What is the impact to a race of people when you alter their theology and beliefs.
We use science to study bee’s, birds, bugs, plants, h2s ect. But when it comes to native people there is no study, where is the science for them. It’s not just geothermal where this happens, but in this situation it is.
In the case of Pele practitioners such as the Pele Defense Fund, they believe geothermal development is desecrating their goddess by drilling into Pele to tap her mana.
Below is a thirty minute video on the subject from the last geothermal battle over Wao Kele O Puna where in Pele Practitioners talk about the impacts to them.
As Dr. Emmit Aluli explained it in Pele’s Appeal:
When the next generation of Hawaiians grow up they will look at geothermal and say there is Pele.
What is the psychological impact on a race of people when you alter their belief system?
Some may feel this is not your Kuliana, however there is an impact here, and it is related to geothermal development. All the study groups before us have refused to acknowledge there are impacts to those who view geothermal as sacrilegious. We may not be able to fix that but we certainly should recognize it. Or are we suppose to single out Pele Practitioners for exclusion from our discussion of impacts?
I believe this should be included in the discussion and in the report. I regret not emphasizing this earlier. I now believe if we do not do it, no one will. Because I do recognize these impacts and they are not mentioned in the report recommendations for study, I am bringing them forward now even if rather awkwardly. This is to important to me to ignore. Historical and future impacts of geothermal development on traditional Hawaiian beliefs has been swept under the rug. We can not say we are not aware that it is happening, we know, therefore IMO it becomes our responsibility to at least recognize it.
The report recognized other physiological impacts on area residents but we did not do the same for those who still practice Hawaiian traditional religious beliefs as they relate to the goddess Pele. I think that those impacts are real having known Palikapu for 30 years I have seen the impact to him personally of fighting for recognition of what he believes is his right to practice his religion. I believe that the report should recognize those issues are real. The recommendations on these impacts should meet the same criteria we used for the other physiological impacts.
Mihael R. Edelstien, wrote a paper on the subject that was omitted from our draft Report V-3. The study published in Society and Natural Resources, Vol. 8, February, 1995, by Michael R. Edelstein and Deborah A. Kleese titled Cultural Relativity of Impact Assessment: Native Hawaiian Opposition to Geothermal Energy Development. Dr. Edelstein is a Professor of Psychology in Environmental and Graduate Sustainability Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey. The study “proposes that the conflict over geothermal energy development represents two belief systems holding opposing views of the environment. Western attitudes toward nature regard the environment as a series of natural resources to be managed. In contrast, Native Hawaiian beliefs regard nature as sacred. Specifically, geothermal energy development threatens perhaps the most sacred space in all Hawai’i, the home and body of the fire goddess Pele. The lengthy administrative proceedings in this matter are instructive of the marginalization of native peoples and their difficulty in gaining recognition for cultural impacts in a decision-making process that is built around the rationality of the dominant Western world view.”
I believe Dr. Edelstein proposed a follow-up study as part of the health impact review that is being considered by this health study group, but no mention of this aspect of health is seen in the draft. I believe that is a mistake. Geothermal impacts to Hawaiians cultural beliefs and to them psychologically have been ignored for to long and it would be wrong for this report and Health Study Group to also ignore theses impacts.
Bob
—
