Fellows mentioned in this story: Rich Matsuda

From The Associated Press:

Shane Palacat-Nelsen’s voice drops to a reverent tone as he tells the story of the snow goddess Poli‘ahu who Native Hawaiians believe inhabits the summit of Mauna Kea, the highest point in Hawai‘i.

The tale, repeated in Hawaiian families over generations, speaks of a chief who yearned to court Poli‘ahu but was stopped by her attendants guarding the sacred mountain top — the abode of the gods, cradle of creation and gateway to the divine.

Today, this sublime summit on Hawaii’s Big Island is also treasured by astronomers as a portal to finding answers to the universe’s many mysteries, creating varied — and sometimes incompatible — views on what’s best for Mauna Kea’s future.

The legendary chief eventually gained access to the summit on one condition: He was to step only on the same set of footprints left by the attendant escorting him up and down, said Palacat-Nelsen. He says it’s a metaphor for why Mauna Kea must be protected from further human intrusion, pollution and erosion.

“You do not go up the sacred mountain unless you are called. You do not go up without a purpose.”

Continue reading at apnews.com.