Pele Volcano Goddess Views
Big Island myths and legends about Pele, as well as other gods and goddesses, abound in Hawaiian culture and religion. Most Hawaiians no longer practice this religion, but the goddess Pele is still never far from their minds. The natural elements of the island (mountains, jungles, ocean, and especially volcanoes) are a constant reminder of her power. Would you want to annoy Pele? I don/rs"t think so.
Pele belief continued after the old religion was officially abolished in 1819. In the summer of 1823 English missionary William Ellis toured the island to determine locations for mission stations.[3]:236 After a long journey to the volcano Kīlauea with little food, Ellis eagerly ate the wild berries they found growing there.[3]:128 The berries of the ʻōhelo (Vaccinium reticulatum) plant were considered sacred to the Pele. Traditionally prayers and offerings to Pele were always made before eating the berries. The volcano crater was an active lava lake, which the natives feared was a sign that Pele was not pleased with the violation.[3]:143 Although wood carvings and thatched temples were easily destroyed, the volcano was a natural monument to the goddess.
Plantation owner William Hyde Rice published a version of the story in his collection of legends.[7] In 2003 the Volcano Art Center had a special competition for Pele paintings to replace one done in the early 20th century by D. Howard Hitchcock displayed in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park visitors center. Some criticized what looked like a blond caucasian as the Hawaiian goddess.[8] Over 140 paintings were submitted, and finalists were displayed at sites within the park.[9] The winner of the contest was Volcano Village artist Arthur Johnsen. This version shows the goddess in shades of red, with a digging stick in her left hand (the ʻōʻō, for which the currently erupting vent was named), and an embryonic form of Hiʻiaka-i-ka-poli-o-Pele in her right hand. The painting is now on display at the Kīlauea Visitor Center on the edge of the Kīlauea crater.[10]
Aloha! My name is Leilani (in the Hawaiian language, it means N"heavenly flower."). My friends call me Jasmine. I live in California, but last week I flew to Hawaii to visit my grandmother. I love to listen to Grandma's stories about the legends of Hawaii. My favorite is the legend of Madam Pele, Hawaii's Goddess of Fire. The legend says that Pele's father sent her away from Tahiti (another island in the Pacific) because she had a hot temper. It seems she was always fighting with her older sister (Na-mako-o-Kaha'i), who was the Goddess of the Sea. Pele left Tahiti in a canoe and went to Hawaii where she made many fiery volcanoes.
Pele Volcano Goddess Images
