Pele: The Volcano Goddess
The Lady of Kilauea
Pele (Pele-honua-mea) is the most active deity in the modern world. While Zeus and Odin are silent, Pele speaks daily through the lava flows of the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. She resides in the Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kilauea. She is the goddess of fire, lightning, wind, and volcanoes. She is known as "The Woman Who Devours the Land."
The Voyage
Pele is a voyager. She came to Hawaii from Tahiti, fleeing the wrath of her sister Namaka (Goddess of the Sea). She traveled down the island chain (Kauai, Oahu, Maui), trying to dig a fire pit for her home. Each time, Namaka flooded the pit. Finally, she reached the Big Island and dug deeper than ever before, creating Kilauea—a fortress of fire too high for the waves to drown.
The Shapeshifter
Pele walks among mortals. She typically appears in two forms:
- The Maiden: A stunningly beautiful young woman in a red dress, dancing in the lava fields.
- The Crone: An old, withered woman with white hair, asking for gin or a ride. Local legend says if you see an old woman hitchhiking on Saddle Road, you must pick her up. If you don't, your car will break down. If you do, she will vanish from the back seat, leaving the scent of sulfur.
Creation and Destruction
Pele is the creator of land. Her lava destroys forests and homes, but when it cools, it creates new earth. She is violent, jealous, and passionate. Her lovers often ended up as pillars of stone. But she is also the lifeblood of the island.
The Final Warning
Every rock on the Big Island is a piece of her flesh. Tourists who try to take a souvenir home are not stealing a stone; they are kidnapping a goddess. The bad luck will follow you across the ocean until you learn the first rule of the volcano: You can visit the fire, but you cannot own it, so put it back.
