Hawaii itself is steeped in legend, with the spirits of gods and goddesses believed to inhabit every corner of these tropical isles.
Among the deities, Pele, Hawaiian goddess of fire, lightning, wind, and volcanoes is one of the most revered.
Also called “She Who Shapes The Sacred Land,” her presence is felt especially strongly on the Big Island, home to the still very much active Kīlauea Volcano.
(Want to know more about what it's like, living atop a live volcano?! Check out: http://kulanagoddesssanctuary.blogspot.com/p/volcanic-update-history.html)
As dramatic and unpredictable as the volcanoes she is said to command, Pele is known for passionate power, and a deep, protective influence over this area. Her presence is so pervasive that even today visitors are warned to respect her, lest they invoke her wrath.
In local lore, Pele is part of a large family of deities. Various traditions from different kumus describe her as one of 8 - 12 siblings associated with a variety of natural forces. Pele herself is supposed to have journeyed from her original home in Tahiti, fleeing her older sister Nā-maka-o-Kahaʻi, goddess of the sea. Their rivalry led Pele to seek refuge on the Hawaiian Islands.
As she traveled from island to island, Pele created volcanic craters.
However, as her sister followed, she used her power over the ocean to extinguish Pele’s flames.
Eventually, Pele found sanctuary on the Big Island where she claimed Halemaʻumaʻu Crater (presently within the boundaries of Volcanoes National Park) at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano as her own.
Here, she is said to reside, her fiery temper expressing itself in volcanic eruptions that have shaped the land for centuries.
These eruptions, while destructive, are also acts of creation as they form fresh-born earth, adding brand new acreage each year. This duality of creation and destruction is at the heart of Pele’s nature, causing her to be both feared and revered by Hawaiian people.
One of the most enduring aspects of Goddess Pele’s legend is the curse she is said to place on anyone who disrespects her, her land, or her people. One way this manifests is in Pele's “curse,” claimed to bring bad luck to those who remove rocks, sand, or other natural elements from this locale.
(I can personally attest to receiving packages of lava rock back from a number of visitors who ignored this warning, and apparently local post offices as well as the national park also receive these back regularly, by the ton, from tourists who thought it'd be a lark to return to the mainland with pieces of this sacred land as souvenirs.)
Geologically-speaking, the Hawaiian islands were created as the Pacific Plate moved over a volcanic hotspot, with each isle representing a different stage in the Life of a Volcano. The Big Island -- being the youngest land mass in the chain -- is still growing, because Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes continue to erupt every decade (and sometimes even each year or each month!)
In mythological terms, this ongoing volcanic activity is thought to be Goddess Pele’s manner of renewing the land as lava flows emerging from Kīlauea, for instance, destroy whatever's in their path while also creating new soil and geological formations.
This is history unfolding, while still alive.
Be respectful.
Take with you (& leave behind) only footprints of authentic positive regard, shared with anyone/anywhere whose paths you cross.
What To Do
This Super Full Harvest Moon
Make space and time for genuine priorities.
Too many things to do leads to overwhelm rather than feeling joyful or inspired. Break out of limiting shells that restrict your True Essence.
Emerging & established kahunas in Hawaii are doing the same. :)
Don't pray TO Goddess Pele, pray with her.
