Mauna Kea: Temple Under Siege (2005) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language

2005 · 57 mins · English

Directed by

Joan Lander

Starring

John Lee, Kealoha Pisciotta, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Maxine Kaha'ulelio, Charles Young, Puhipau

Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano that last erupted 4,000 years ago, remains a flashpoint between astronomy and Hawaiian cultural preservation. Over five years, documentary team Nā Maka o ka Āina recorded the mountain’s shifting seasons, its ecosystems from sea level to the 14,000‑foot summit, the legends that trace its geological and spiritual history, and the political battles to protect this sacred landscape from observatory development.