Mokumanamana is a remote Hawaiian island featuring steep cliffs and vibrant marine life. It lacks human residents yet boasts the highest concentration of ancient Hawaiian religious sites. This island symbolizes the transition at po, where souls meet ancestors in Hawaiian beliefs. Recent FAA approvals allow SpaceX to conduct launches over these sacred waters, raising concerns about environmental threats. Elon Musk's plans for increased rocket launches amplify anxieties around the impact on the surrounding ocean and cultural significance of Mokumanamana.
No humans have lived on Mokumanamana, but it has the world's highest density of ancient Hawaiian religious sites. It sits as a boundary between what Native Hawaiians refer to as po', the darkness, and au', the light.
As Aila tells it, if a person has been good, they can pass into po and be with their ancestors, who inhabit the Pacific waters west of Mokumanamana.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given Elon Musk permission to detonate rocket ships from his company SpaceX over these protected waters.
SpaceX first brought its request, a proposal called the Starship Super Heavy Project, to the FAA in 2022.
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