Aquaman actor Jason Momoa took to Instagram to declare that “we can’t shoot Aquaman 2” as he is protesting the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Hawaii’s tallest mountain, Mauna Kea.
Momoa wrote on Instagram:
“F*** THIS. And TMT is 4x bigger. Sorry Warner Bros we can’t shoot Aquaman 2. Because Jason got run over by a bulldozer trying to stop the desecration of his native land. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING. WE ARE NOT LETTING YOU DO THIS ANYMORE. Enough is enough. Go somewhere else.”
Along with his statement he shared a photo of telescope construction of the Subaru Telescope on Mauna Kea from 1992. (Related: Patrick Wilson: Ocean Master Orm Won’t Be the “Main Villain” in Aquaman 2)
Momoa has used his Instagram quite frequently to protest the construction on Mauna Kea. (Related: James Wan Discusses the Possibility of Aquaman Spin-Off Movie Based on The Trench)
He previously wrote:
“I love my heritage both sides, Hawaiian and Iowan. I appreciate your support on bringing attention to Mauna Kea. With all due respect to the pursuit of scientific knowledge, we must always protect what is sacred to our people, I believe your telescope can built in a place where it is wanted. If u stay we will stay. We are Kapu Aloha and we will share our ways with the world. Times are changing.”
Mauna Kea
Not only is Mauna Kea the tallest volcano and mountain in Hawaii, but it’s actually the tallest mountain in the world if you measure its height from its oceanic base with a height of over 33,000 feet. The dormant volcano is also millions of years old with its last eruption predicted to have taken place somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 years ago.
The summit of the volcano is home to a number of telescopes. The first telescope was constructed in 1970 by the University of Hawaii, who received a 65-year land lease. The United States Air Force and Lowell Observatory would also construct telescopes on the volcano’s summit. They would be followed by France and Canada who built the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). The Mauna Kea Science Reserve currently has 13 observation facilities funded by 11 countries. There are nine telescopes working in the visible and infrared spectrum, three in the submillimeter spectrum, and one in the radio spectrum.
The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) initially broke ground in 2014 after it was approved in 2013. The project would eventually come to a halt in 2015, but the Supreme Court of Hawaii approved that construction could resume in October 2018.
One of the main groups protesting the construction of the TMT is Kahea: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance. The group describes itself as “a community-based organization working to improve the quality of life for Hawai`i’s people and future generations through the revitalization and protection of Hawai`i’s unique natural and cultural resources. We advocate for the proper stewardship of our resources and for social responsibility by promoting cultural understanding and environmental justice.”
What do you make of Jason Momoa’s protests against TMT? Do you think he will skip out on Aquaman 2 in order to protest the telescope’s construction?