In Hawaiian mythology, Pele is a goddess of fire, lightning, dance, volcanoes and violence, a daughter of Haumea and Kane Milohai. She lives on Kīlauea. Hawaiian mythology is a variant of a more general Polynesian mythology. ... Just-lit match Fire is a self-sustaining oxidation process accompanied by heat and light in the form of a glow or flames. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Volcano 1. ... Violence is any act of aggression and abuse which causes or intends to cause injury, in some cases criminal, or harm to persons, and (to a lesser extent) animals or property. ... In Polynesian mythology (specifically: Hawaii), Haumea is a goddess of fertility and childbirth. ... In Polynesian mythology, Kane Milohai is the father of Kā-moho-alii, Pele (whom he exiled to Hawaii), Pere, Kapo, Namaka and Hiiaka by Haumea. ... KÄ«lauea is an active volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five shield volcanoes that together form the Island of Hawaii. ...

The story

Her father exiled her (from her homeland, Honua-Mea in Tahiti) because of her bad temper, most recently for fighting with her elder water-goddess sister Na-maka-o-Kahaʻi (Namaka), whose husband Pele had seduced. She sailed from Tahiti in a canoe guided by her shark-god brother Kā-moho-aliʻi, and was followed by her still-angry elder sister. Every time she landed on an island and created a new volcanic home, it was flooded out by Na-maka-o-Kahaʻi. Finally, the epic battle ended near Hana, Maui, where Pele was torn apart by her sister. Legend says her bones still remain as a hill called Ka-iwi-o-Pele. Map of French Polynesia Map of Tahiti and Moorea Tahiti is the largest island of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean at . ... In Polynesian mythology, Namaka is a sea goddess and daughter of Haumea and Kane Milohai. ... Location of Hāna, Hawaii Aerial view of Hana, Maui Hale O Pi Ilani Heiau, a native temple platform near Honomaele Gulch, Hāna Hāna is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. ... The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 727 square miles (1883 km²). Maui is part of the State of HawaiÊ»i and is the largest island in Maui County; the other islands comprising the county being LānaÊ»i, KahoÊ»olawe, and MolokaÊ»i. ...

Upon death, she became a god and found a home on Mauna Kea, on the Island of Hawaiʻi. Pele is known for her violent temper, but also for her common visits among mortals. She is said to appear either as a tall, beautiful young woman or as a very old, ugly and frail woman. She is often accompanied by a white dog and typically tests people by asking if they have any food, drink and in more recent times, rides to another part of the island. Those who show kindness are rewarded and spared. Those who are cruel or disrespectful are punished by way of having their homes or crops destroyed. When enraged she may appear as a woman all aflame or as pure flame. Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five volcanic peaks that together form the island of Hawaii. ... The Island of HawaiÊ»i (called the Big Island or HawaiÊ»i proper) is one of eight main islands that make up the U.S. State of HawaiÊ»i. ...

Pele also loves attending social dances, and is known for great jealousy and vengeance when she doesn't get her man. Stories of Pele encounters are common campfire tales. Her presence can be found around the Kīlauea Volcano and Halemaʻumaʻu Crater in the form of Pele's tears (tear-shaped lava droplets), Pele's hair (babyfine golden strands of volcanic glass), and limu o Pele (thin sheets or flakes of volcanic glass). Pele’s tears is a geological term for small pieces of solidified lava drops formed when airborne particles of molten material fuse into tearlike drops of volcanic glass. ... Peles hair caught on a radio antenna mounted on the south rim of Pu`u` O`o, Hawaii, July 22, 2005 Peles hair is a product of volcanic activity and is created when lava is spattered by an energetic eruption into long, thin strands that begin to... limu o Pele, Hawaiian, literally, seaweed of Pele, after Pele the Hawaiian fire goddess of volcanoes. ...

Pele is also said to curse Hawaiʻi visitors who return to their homeland with volcanic rock. This is an urban legend, stemming from a story made up by park rangers at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in order to preserve the park. However, many lava rock pieces are shipped back to Hawaiʻi from around the world from people who claim to have experienced horrible misfortune since removing the rocks, accompanied by letters asking for Pele's forgiveness. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, displays the results of 30 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution—processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. ...

After her battle with Na-maka-o-Kahaʻi, she found new enemies in the snow-goddess Poliahu whom she fought over Mauna Kea with, and the fertility god Kamapuaʻa, her sometimes lover. In Polynesian mythology (specifically: Hawaii), Poliahu is a goddess of snow who resides on Mauna Kea, the worlds tallest mountain. ... In Polynesian mythology, Kamapuaa is a hog-man fertility god. ...

Relatives

Pele's other prominent relatives are:

• Hiʻiaka, spirit of the dance
• Kā-moho-aliʻi, a shark god and the keeper of the water of life
• Kaʻōhelo, a mortal sister
• Kapo, a goddess of fertility
• Ka-poho-i-kahi-ola, spirit of explosions
• Kane-Hekili, spirit of the thunder
• Ke-ō-ahi-kama-kaua, the spirit of lava fountains
• Ke-ua-a-ke-pō, spirit of the rain and fire

In Hawaiian mythology, Hiiaka is a daughter of Haumea and Kāne. ... In Polynesian mythology (specifically: Hawaii), Kā-moho-alii is a shark god and a son of Haumea and Kane Milohai. ... In Polynesian mythology (specifically: Hawaii), Kaōhelo is a mortal sister of Pele, the goddess of fire. ... Kapo can refer to several things: In Polynesian mythology (specifically: Hawaii), Kapo is a goddess of fertility, sorcery and dark powers who can assume any shape she wills. ... KÄ«lauea is an active volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five shield volcanoes that together form the Island of HawaiÊ»i. ... In Polynesian mythology, Kane Milohai is the father of Kā-moho-alii, Pele (whom he exiled to Hawaii), Pere, Kapo, Namaka and Hiiaka by Haumea. ...

Trivia

• The pop musician Tori Amos named an album Boys for Pele in her honor. A single lyrical excerpt from the song "Muhammad My Friend" makes the only musical connection, "You've never seen fire until you've seen Pele blow." Many listeners believe the album title is an allusion to an erroneous, historically incorrect myth that young men were once sacrificed to Pele—thus the title, the sacrificial “boys for Pele.”
• Simon Winchester, in his book Krakatoa, stated about the Pele myth: "Like many legends, this old yarn has its basis in fact. The sea attacks volcanoes – the waters and the waves erode the fresh laid rocks. And this is why Pele herself moved, shifting always to the younger and newer volcanoes, and relentlessly away from the older and worn-out islands of the northwest."
• In 2004, American composer Brian Balmages composed a piece entitled "Pele for Solo Horn and Wind Ensemble" on commission by Jerry Peel, professor of French Horn at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. It was premiered by the University of Miami Wind Ensemble under the direction of Gary Green, with Jerry Peel on Horn.
• Pele is mentioned in the song "Hot Lava" by Perry Farrell on the South Park Album.

"And after the eruption, we lay dormant for a while

Let's just hold each other and talk,

For now, Pele sleeps"

Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos on August 22, 1963) is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. ... Boys For Pele, the Grammy-nominated third album by singer and songwriter Tori Amos, is perhaps her least well-known and yet best-selling album to date. ... Simon Winchester, OBE (born September 28, 1944) is a British author and journalist. ... A wind band, also called concert band, symphonic band, or wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of woodwind, brass, percussion instruments, and often string bass. ...

See also

Pere, a Cook Islands goddess In Polynesian mythology, Pere is the goddess of the Pacific Ocean. ...

External links

• Mythical Realm: Pele, Goddess of Fire
• Return Lava Rock to Hawaiʻi

References