Mauna Loa volcano erupts after 40 years

Yesterday Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, has erupted in Hawai’i for the first time in nearly forty years.

While neither volcano is threatening the safety of native Hawaiians, it’s causing debris in the air, said Sir Cornwell, a student at the University of Hawai’i.

Sir Cornwell: Thankfully, a lot of it’s just ash. And with in Hawaii, the volcanoes, they have flowing lava and not really like spitting lava.

Cornwell said, for Hawaiians, the volcanoes erupting holds a significant meaning.

Sir Cornwell: When Mauna Loa was erupting, yesterday was actually Lā Kūʻokoʻa, which is a within Hawaii, which is a celebration of sovereignty and independence. So it’s like Hawaii’s Independence Day.

Cornwell said the fact that several of the volcanoes erupting comes as a sign of reassurance to Hawaiians.

Sir Cornwell: The fact that that Mauna Loa, Kīlauea, and also Mauna Kea was snowing as well played a significant part, a significant part within my culture, because this eruption comes as a Ho’ailona to our people and a Ho’ailona is like a sign or omen

Cornwell said this lets them know that a new change is on the way after everything native Hawaiians have been through.

Sir Cornwell: I feel extremely more connected just knowing that like through everything um native Hawaiians have gone through, it’s nice knowing that we have this reassurance and sign that our gods are still working hard and a time where um a new change is gonna to come.

Its neighbor volcano, Kilaeua, has also been erupting for more than one year.

These two volcanoes have not erupted together since 1984.

For Annenberg Media, I’m Spencer Cline.