The Duck Crew - 18 Apr 2013 - We Take on Hawai'i - QUACK!
- Thread starter Calgon1
- Start date
- Status
GloBug
Senior Flea Coller Tester
That's the plan, unless she has a much meaner sister???
Calgon1
Awaiting results of mental evaluation
Not concerned in the least. Old age and experience will overcome youth and enthusiasm ... Every time!
and if that fails ....
ENFORCER DUCK !!!
Plus, I know I'll be safe as the appropriate sacrifices have already been made to Na-maka-o-ka-hai ...
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Calgon1
Awaiting results of mental evaluation
QUACK - Enjoy ...
THE GENEALOGY OF THE PELE FAMILY
THERE were gods, goddesses, and ghost-gods in the Pele family. Almost all had their home in volcanic fires and were connected with all the various natural fire phenomena such as earthquakes, eruptions, smoke clouds, thunder, and lightning. Pele was the supreme ruler of the household.
She had a number of brothers and sisters. There were also many au-makuas, or ancestor ghost-gods, who were supposed to have been sent into the family by incantations and sacrifices. Sometimes when death came among the Hawaiians, a part of the body of the dead person would be thrown into the living volcano, Kilauea, with all ceremony. It was supposed that the spirit also went into the flame, finding there its permanent dwelling-place. This spirit became a Pele-au-makua.
Pele's brother, Ka-moho-alii, and her older sister, Na-maka-o-ka-hai, however, belonged to the powers of the sea. Ka-moho-alii, whose name was sometimes given as Ka-moo-alii, was king of the sharks. He was a favorite of the fire-goddess Pele. Na-maka-o-ka-hai, a sea-goddess, as a result of family trouble, became Pele's most bitter enemy, fighting her with floods of water, according to the legends.
Thus the original household represented the two eternal enemies, fire and water. One set of legends says that Kane-hoa-lani was the father and Hina-alii was the mother. Kane was one of the four great gods of Polynesia,--Ku, Kane, Lono, and Kanaloa.
Kane-hoa-lani might be interpreted as "Kane, the divine companion or friend." A better rendering is "Kane, the divine fire-maker." In most of the legends and genealogies he is given a place among Pele's brothers.
There were many Hinas. The great Hina was a goddess whose stories frequently placed her in close relation to the moon.
--It seems far-fetched to give Hina a place in the Pele family. The name was evidently brought to the Hawaiian Islands from the South Seas and in process of time was grafted into the Pele myth.--
Another set of legends published in the earliest newspapers, printed in the Hawaiian language, say that Ku-waha-ilo and Haumea were the parents. Ku was the fiercest and most powerful of the four chief gods. Haumea had another name, Papa. She was the earth. This parentage was carried out in the most diverse as well as the most ancient of the legends and seems to be worthy of acceptance. Ku-waha-ilo is in some legends called Ku-aha-ilo. In both cases the name means "Ku with the wormy mouth," or "Ku, the man-eater" (The cannibal), whose act made him ferocious and inhuman in the eyes of the Hawaiians.
Pele has long been the fire-goddess of the Hawaiians. Her home was in the great fire-pit of the volcano of Kilauea on the island of Hawaii, and all the eruptions of lava have borne her name wherever they may have appeared. Thus the word "Pele" has been used with three distinct definitions by the old Hawaiians. Pele, the fire-goddess; Pele, a volcano or a fire-pit in any land; and Pele, an eruption of lava.
King Kalakaua was very much interested in explaining the origin of some of the great Hawaiian myths and legends. He did not make any statement about the parents of the legendary family, but said that the Pele family was driven from Samoa in the eleventh century, finding a home in the southwestern part of the island Hawaii near the volcano Kilauea. There they lived until an eruption surrounded and overwhelmed them in living fire. After a time the native imagination, which always credited ghost-gods, placed this family among the most powerful au-makuas and gave them a home in the heart of the crater. From this beginning, he thought, grew the stories of the Pele family.
The trouble with Kalakaua's version is that it does not take into account the relation of Pele to various parts of Polynesia.
The early inhabitants of the region around Hilo in the southwestern part of the island Hawaii, near Kilauea, brought many names and legends from far-away Polynesian lands to Hawaii. Hilo (formerly called Hiro), meaning to "twist" or "turn," was derived from Whiro, a great Polynesian traveller and sea-robber. The stories of Maui and Puna came from other lands, so also came some of the myths of Pele.
Fornander, in "The Polynesian Race," says: "In Hawaiian, Pele is the fire-goddess who dwells in volcanoes. In Samoan, Fee is a personage with nearly similar functions. In Tahitian, Pere is a volcano."
These varieties of the name Pele, Fornander carries back also to the pre-Malay dialects of the Indian Archipelago, where pelah means "hot," belem to "burn." Then he goes back still farther to the Celtic Bel or Belen (the sun god), the Spartan Bela (the sun), and the Babylonian god Bel. It might be worth while for some student of the Atlantic Coast or Europe to find the derivation of the name Pele as applied to the explosive volcano of Martinique, and note its apparent connection with the Pacific languages.
In Raratonga is found a legend which approaches the Hawaiian stories more nearly than any other from foreign sources. There the great goddess of fire was named Mahuike, who was known throughout Polynesia as the divine guardian of fire. It was from her that Maui the demi-god was represented by many legends as procuring fire for mankind. Her daughter, also a fire-goddess, was Pere, a name identical with the Hawaiian Pele, the letters l and r being interchangeable. This Pere became angry and blew off the top of the island Fakarava. Earthquakes and explosions terrified the people. Mahuike tried to make Pere quiet down, and finally drove her away. Pere leaped into the sea and fled to Va-ihi (Hawaii).
A somewhat similar story comes in from Samoa. Mahuike, the god of fire in Samoa, drove his daughter away. This daughter passed under the ocean from Samoa to Nuuhiwa. After establishing a volcano there, the spirit of unrest came upon her and she again passed under the sea to the Hawaiian Islands, where she determined to stay forever.
In Samoa one of the fire-gods, according to some authorities, was Fe-e, a name almost the same as Pele, yet nearly all the Samoan legends describe Fe-e as a cuttlefish possessing divine power, and at enmity with fire.
Hon. S. Percy Smith, who was for a long time Minister of Native Affairs in New Zealand and now is President of the Polynesian Society for Legendary and Historical Research, writes that the full name for Pele among the New Zealand Maoris is "Para-whenua-mea, which through well-known letter changes is identical with the full Hawaiian name Pele-honua-mea."
From several continued Pele stories in newspapers in the native language, about 1865, the following sketch of the Pele family, is compiled:
The god Ku, under the name Ku-waha-ilo, was the father. Haumea was the mother. Her father was a man-eater. Her mother was a precipice (i.e., belonged to the earth). Others say Ku-waha-ilo, had neither father nor mother, but dwelt in the far-off heavens. (This probably meant that he lived beyond the most distant boundary of the horizon.)
Two daughters were born. The first, Na-maka-o-ka-hai, was born from the breasts of Haumea. Pele was born from the thighs. After this the brothers and sisters were given life by Haumea. Ka-moho-alii, the shark-god, was born from the top of the head. He was the elder brother, the caretaker of the family, always self-denying and ready to answer any call from his relatives. Kane-hekili, Kane who had the thunder, was born from the mouth. Kauwila-nui, who ruled the lightning, came from the flashing eyes of Haumea. Thus the family came from the arms, from the wrists, the palms of the hands, the fingers, the various joints, and even from the toes. A modern reader would think that Haumea as Mother Earth threw out her children in the natural outburst of earth forces, but it is extremely doubtful if the old Hawaiians had any such idea. Yet the expression that Haumea was a precipice might imply a misty feeling in that direction.
The youngest of the family, Hiiaka-in-the-bosom-of-Pele, was born an egg. After she had been carefully warmed and nourished by Pele, she became a beautiful child. When she grew into womanhood she was the bravest, the most powerful, except Pele, and the most gentle and lovable of all the sisters.
The names of the members of the household of fire are worth noting as revealing the Hawaiian recognition of the different forces of nature. Some said there were forty sisters. One list gives only four. They were almost all called "The Hiiakas." Ellis in 1823 said the name meant "cloud holder." Fornander says it means "twilight bearer." Hii conveys the idea of lifting on the hip and arm so as to make easy. Aka means usually "shadow," and pictures the long shadows of the clouds across the sky as evening comes. There is really no twilight worth mentioning in the Hawaiian Islands and Hiiaka would be better interpreted as "lifting sunset shadows," or holding up the smoke clouds while their shadows fall over the fires of the crater, conveying the idea of firelight shining up under smoke clouds as they rise from the lake of fire.
The Hiiakas were "shadow bearers." There were eight well-known sisters:
Hiiaka-kapu-ena-ena (Hiiaka-of-the-burning-tabu), known also as Hiiaka-pua-ena-ena (Hiiaka-of-the-burning-flower); and also as Hiiaka-pu-ena-ena (Hiiaka-of-the-burning-hills).
Hiiaka-wawahi-lani (Hiiaka-breaking-the-heavens-for-the-heavy-rain-to-fall).
Hiiaka-noho-lani (Hiiaka-dwelling-in-the-skies).
Hiiaka-makole-wawahi-waa (Hiiaka-the-fire-eyed-canoe-breaker).
Hiiaka-kaa-lawa-maka (Hiiaka-with-quick-glancing-eyes).
Hiiaka-ka-lei-ia (Hiiaka-encircled-by-garlands-of-smoke-clouds).
Hiiaka-i-ka-poli-o-Pele (Hiiaka-in-the-bosom-of-Pele), who was known also as the Young Hiiaka.
Some of the legends say that Kapo was one of Pele's sisters. Kapo was a vile, murderous, poison-goddess connected with the idea of "praying to death," and in the better legends is dropped out of the Pele family.
There were eleven well-known brothers:
Ka-moho-alii (The-dragon-or-shark-king).
Kane-hekili (Kane-the-thunderer).
Kane-pohaku-kaa (Kane-rolling-stones, or The-earthquake-maker).
Kane-hoa-lani (Kane-the-divine-fire-maker).
Kane-huli-honua (Kane-turning-the-earth-upside-down-in-eruptions-and-earthquakes).
Kane-kauwila-nui (Kane-who-ruled-the-great-lightning).
Kane-huli-koa (Kane-who-broke-coral-reefs).
Ka-poha-i-kahi-ola (Explosion-in-the-place-of-life, i.e., fountains of bursting gas in the living fire).
Ke-ua-a-ke-po (The-rain-in-the-night, or The-rain-of-fire-more-visible-at-night).
Ke-o-ahi-kama-kaua (The-fire-thrusting-child-of-war).
Lono-makua (Lono-the-father-who-had-charge-of-the-crater-and-its-fire).
The Thunderer and the Child-of-War were said to be hunchbacks. According to the different legends Pele had four husbands, each of whom lived with her for a time. Two of these were with her in the ancient homes of the Hawaiians, Kuai-he-lani and Hapakuela. These husbands were Aukele-nui-a-iku and Wahieloa. Two husbands came to her while she dwelt in Kilauea, her palace of fire in the Hawaiian Islands. One was the rough Kama-puaa, the other was Lohiau, the handsome king of Kauai.
THE GENEALOGY OF THE PELE FAMILY
THERE were gods, goddesses, and ghost-gods in the Pele family. Almost all had their home in volcanic fires and were connected with all the various natural fire phenomena such as earthquakes, eruptions, smoke clouds, thunder, and lightning. Pele was the supreme ruler of the household.
She had a number of brothers and sisters. There were also many au-makuas, or ancestor ghost-gods, who were supposed to have been sent into the family by incantations and sacrifices. Sometimes when death came among the Hawaiians, a part of the body of the dead person would be thrown into the living volcano, Kilauea, with all ceremony. It was supposed that the spirit also went into the flame, finding there its permanent dwelling-place. This spirit became a Pele-au-makua.
Pele's brother, Ka-moho-alii, and her older sister, Na-maka-o-ka-hai, however, belonged to the powers of the sea. Ka-moho-alii, whose name was sometimes given as Ka-moo-alii, was king of the sharks. He was a favorite of the fire-goddess Pele. Na-maka-o-ka-hai, a sea-goddess, as a result of family trouble, became Pele's most bitter enemy, fighting her with floods of water, according to the legends.
Thus the original household represented the two eternal enemies, fire and water. One set of legends says that Kane-hoa-lani was the father and Hina-alii was the mother. Kane was one of the four great gods of Polynesia,--Ku, Kane, Lono, and Kanaloa.
Kane-hoa-lani might be interpreted as "Kane, the divine companion or friend." A better rendering is "Kane, the divine fire-maker." In most of the legends and genealogies he is given a place among Pele's brothers.
There were many Hinas. The great Hina was a goddess whose stories frequently placed her in close relation to the moon.
--It seems far-fetched to give Hina a place in the Pele family. The name was evidently brought to the Hawaiian Islands from the South Seas and in process of time was grafted into the Pele myth.--
Another set of legends published in the earliest newspapers, printed in the Hawaiian language, say that Ku-waha-ilo and Haumea were the parents. Ku was the fiercest and most powerful of the four chief gods. Haumea had another name, Papa. She was the earth. This parentage was carried out in the most diverse as well as the most ancient of the legends and seems to be worthy of acceptance. Ku-waha-ilo is in some legends called Ku-aha-ilo. In both cases the name means "Ku with the wormy mouth," or "Ku, the man-eater" (The cannibal), whose act made him ferocious and inhuman in the eyes of the Hawaiians.
Pele has long been the fire-goddess of the Hawaiians. Her home was in the great fire-pit of the volcano of Kilauea on the island of Hawaii, and all the eruptions of lava have borne her name wherever they may have appeared. Thus the word "Pele" has been used with three distinct definitions by the old Hawaiians. Pele, the fire-goddess; Pele, a volcano or a fire-pit in any land; and Pele, an eruption of lava.
King Kalakaua was very much interested in explaining the origin of some of the great Hawaiian myths and legends. He did not make any statement about the parents of the legendary family, but said that the Pele family was driven from Samoa in the eleventh century, finding a home in the southwestern part of the island Hawaii near the volcano Kilauea. There they lived until an eruption surrounded and overwhelmed them in living fire. After a time the native imagination, which always credited ghost-gods, placed this family among the most powerful au-makuas and gave them a home in the heart of the crater. From this beginning, he thought, grew the stories of the Pele family.
The trouble with Kalakaua's version is that it does not take into account the relation of Pele to various parts of Polynesia.
The early inhabitants of the region around Hilo in the southwestern part of the island Hawaii, near Kilauea, brought many names and legends from far-away Polynesian lands to Hawaii. Hilo (formerly called Hiro), meaning to "twist" or "turn," was derived from Whiro, a great Polynesian traveller and sea-robber. The stories of Maui and Puna came from other lands, so also came some of the myths of Pele.
Fornander, in "The Polynesian Race," says: "In Hawaiian, Pele is the fire-goddess who dwells in volcanoes. In Samoan, Fee is a personage with nearly similar functions. In Tahitian, Pere is a volcano."
These varieties of the name Pele, Fornander carries back also to the pre-Malay dialects of the Indian Archipelago, where pelah means "hot," belem to "burn." Then he goes back still farther to the Celtic Bel or Belen (the sun god), the Spartan Bela (the sun), and the Babylonian god Bel. It might be worth while for some student of the Atlantic Coast or Europe to find the derivation of the name Pele as applied to the explosive volcano of Martinique, and note its apparent connection with the Pacific languages.
In Raratonga is found a legend which approaches the Hawaiian stories more nearly than any other from foreign sources. There the great goddess of fire was named Mahuike, who was known throughout Polynesia as the divine guardian of fire. It was from her that Maui the demi-god was represented by many legends as procuring fire for mankind. Her daughter, also a fire-goddess, was Pere, a name identical with the Hawaiian Pele, the letters l and r being interchangeable. This Pere became angry and blew off the top of the island Fakarava. Earthquakes and explosions terrified the people. Mahuike tried to make Pere quiet down, and finally drove her away. Pere leaped into the sea and fled to Va-ihi (Hawaii).
A somewhat similar story comes in from Samoa. Mahuike, the god of fire in Samoa, drove his daughter away. This daughter passed under the ocean from Samoa to Nuuhiwa. After establishing a volcano there, the spirit of unrest came upon her and she again passed under the sea to the Hawaiian Islands, where she determined to stay forever.
In Samoa one of the fire-gods, according to some authorities, was Fe-e, a name almost the same as Pele, yet nearly all the Samoan legends describe Fe-e as a cuttlefish possessing divine power, and at enmity with fire.
Hon. S. Percy Smith, who was for a long time Minister of Native Affairs in New Zealand and now is President of the Polynesian Society for Legendary and Historical Research, writes that the full name for Pele among the New Zealand Maoris is "Para-whenua-mea, which through well-known letter changes is identical with the full Hawaiian name Pele-honua-mea."
From several continued Pele stories in newspapers in the native language, about 1865, the following sketch of the Pele family, is compiled:
The god Ku, under the name Ku-waha-ilo, was the father. Haumea was the mother. Her father was a man-eater. Her mother was a precipice (i.e., belonged to the earth). Others say Ku-waha-ilo, had neither father nor mother, but dwelt in the far-off heavens. (This probably meant that he lived beyond the most distant boundary of the horizon.)
Two daughters were born. The first, Na-maka-o-ka-hai, was born from the breasts of Haumea. Pele was born from the thighs. After this the brothers and sisters were given life by Haumea. Ka-moho-alii, the shark-god, was born from the top of the head. He was the elder brother, the caretaker of the family, always self-denying and ready to answer any call from his relatives. Kane-hekili, Kane who had the thunder, was born from the mouth. Kauwila-nui, who ruled the lightning, came from the flashing eyes of Haumea. Thus the family came from the arms, from the wrists, the palms of the hands, the fingers, the various joints, and even from the toes. A modern reader would think that Haumea as Mother Earth threw out her children in the natural outburst of earth forces, but it is extremely doubtful if the old Hawaiians had any such idea. Yet the expression that Haumea was a precipice might imply a misty feeling in that direction.
The youngest of the family, Hiiaka-in-the-bosom-of-Pele, was born an egg. After she had been carefully warmed and nourished by Pele, she became a beautiful child. When she grew into womanhood she was the bravest, the most powerful, except Pele, and the most gentle and lovable of all the sisters.
The names of the members of the household of fire are worth noting as revealing the Hawaiian recognition of the different forces of nature. Some said there were forty sisters. One list gives only four. They were almost all called "The Hiiakas." Ellis in 1823 said the name meant "cloud holder." Fornander says it means "twilight bearer." Hii conveys the idea of lifting on the hip and arm so as to make easy. Aka means usually "shadow," and pictures the long shadows of the clouds across the sky as evening comes. There is really no twilight worth mentioning in the Hawaiian Islands and Hiiaka would be better interpreted as "lifting sunset shadows," or holding up the smoke clouds while their shadows fall over the fires of the crater, conveying the idea of firelight shining up under smoke clouds as they rise from the lake of fire.
The Hiiakas were "shadow bearers." There were eight well-known sisters:
Hiiaka-kapu-ena-ena (Hiiaka-of-the-burning-tabu), known also as Hiiaka-pua-ena-ena (Hiiaka-of-the-burning-flower); and also as Hiiaka-pu-ena-ena (Hiiaka-of-the-burning-hills).
Hiiaka-wawahi-lani (Hiiaka-breaking-the-heavens-for-the-heavy-rain-to-fall).
Hiiaka-noho-lani (Hiiaka-dwelling-in-the-skies).
Hiiaka-makole-wawahi-waa (Hiiaka-the-fire-eyed-canoe-breaker).
Hiiaka-kaa-lawa-maka (Hiiaka-with-quick-glancing-eyes).
Hiiaka-ka-lei-ia (Hiiaka-encircled-by-garlands-of-smoke-clouds).
Hiiaka-i-ka-poli-o-Pele (Hiiaka-in-the-bosom-of-Pele), who was known also as the Young Hiiaka.
Some of the legends say that Kapo was one of Pele's sisters. Kapo was a vile, murderous, poison-goddess connected with the idea of "praying to death," and in the better legends is dropped out of the Pele family.
There were eleven well-known brothers:
Ka-moho-alii (The-dragon-or-shark-king).
Kane-hekili (Kane-the-thunderer).
Kane-pohaku-kaa (Kane-rolling-stones, or The-earthquake-maker).
Kane-hoa-lani (Kane-the-divine-fire-maker).
Kane-huli-honua (Kane-turning-the-earth-upside-down-in-eruptions-and-earthquakes).
Kane-kauwila-nui (Kane-who-ruled-the-great-lightning).
Kane-huli-koa (Kane-who-broke-coral-reefs).
Ka-poha-i-kahi-ola (Explosion-in-the-place-of-life, i.e., fountains of bursting gas in the living fire).
Ke-ua-a-ke-po (The-rain-in-the-night, or The-rain-of-fire-more-visible-at-night).
Ke-o-ahi-kama-kaua (The-fire-thrusting-child-of-war).
Lono-makua (Lono-the-father-who-had-charge-of-the-crater-and-its-fire).
The Thunderer and the Child-of-War were said to be hunchbacks. According to the different legends Pele had four husbands, each of whom lived with her for a time. Two of these were with her in the ancient homes of the Hawaiians, Kuai-he-lani and Hapakuela. These husbands were Aukele-nui-a-iku and Wahieloa. Two husbands came to her while she dwelt in Kilauea, her palace of fire in the Hawaiian Islands. One was the rough Kama-puaa, the other was Lohiau, the handsome king of Kauai.
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ShipMaven
Forever Remembered
Thanks for the history, John.
For those who want even more info, here's the link
Hawaiian legends of volcanoes ... - William Drake Westervelt - Google Books
For those who want even more info, here's the link
Hawaiian legends of volcanoes ... - William Drake Westervelt - Google Books
Calgon1
Awaiting results of mental evaluation
Who is my protector ... GloBug, you are in so much trouble !
Calgon1
Awaiting results of mental evaluation
Hawai'i and Lava - Information and Mythodology
an excerpt from an article written by: Don Alexander
The Big Island is a unique place to study earth sciences and nature. Near Keahole-Kona Airport, at Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), deep cold water is pumped to the surface to create electricity. The nutrient-rich water is also the basis for innovative aquaculture growing certified virus-free shrimp, edible seaweed, microalgaes, lobsters, abalone, and a whole range of products. At Kapoho, hot geothermal steam produces electricity. There are wind farms and biomass production of electricity too. Atop Mauna Kea some of the finest telescopes in the world make Hawaii a major center for astronomy research. All of these are exciting and interesting fields of study and the University of Hawaii at Hilo has been steadily building a reputation for its specialties and as one of the finest liberal arts small colleges in the nation. But for many of us, the most exciting area for amateur study is volcanology!
Big Islanders literally live on the fastest growing part of the world! The Hawaiian Islands is in the middle of a large plate which floats over a hot spot that sends molten lava to the surface to form volcanoes. As the plate moves new islands are formed while older islands weather away. If you look at a map, the Big Island is the largest, but also the youngest. Under the sea a new island is forming that will not surface for thousands of years.
There are many ways to learn volcanology. Each day, thousands visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the main visitor center gives a great introduction. At the edge of Halemaumau Crater, the Jaggar Museum shares a facility with the Hawaii Volcano Observatory and tourism and science meet. Summit eruptions send swift fiery rivers of lava. As tubes are formed, the lava retains its temperatures and travels hot and fast for many miles. As it hits the flats it slows down. Huge steam clouds are visible for miles when molten lava hits the sea. Exhibits explain and even when you know the scientific explanation of nature's awesome power, there's a wonderment and appreciation of the beauty!
Large tour buses tease you with an hour or so with stops at the visitor center, Jaggar Museum, Sulphur Banks, Crater Rim Drive, and Thurston Lava Tube. Those with rental cars can take in more with many stops off the main route to explore Devastation Trail, Chain of Craters Road, and to the end of the road covered by lava. With a spirit of adventure, it's possible to hike in closer. BUT BE CAREFUL AND OBEY THE PARK RANGERS! DON'T GO INTO RESTRICTED DANGEROUS AREAS! During a sunny summer day, the black lava fields are hot and you need heavy duty footwear and water. At night, it can get quite cold and you'll need good flashlights to move around. New lava fields are not stable and over an acre can suddenly collapse into the sea! People who don't respect the dangers die!
The "Curse" -
I've always been fascinated by the beauty of lava and this is reflected in Fuku-Bonsai's Hawaiian Lava Plantings. Visitors to Hawaii will hear of a curse and are strongly advised not to take home lava. Because I utilize lava in our creations, it's necessary for me to address this directly. When I first visited the Big Island, Myrtle's grandmother and family advised not to take lava from the National Park for several reasons. First, it's illegal as nothing, including lava rocks, should be taken from a national park. Secondly, the summit is the home of the Hawaiian goddess Pele; and out of respect, it's not proper to take anything from her home. The spirit of Hawaii demands that we respect multi-cultural values. So I talked with the Hawaiian elders and historians. No one really knows of any ancient prohibition regarding lava. There were numerous villages near the ocean "marked" by groves of coconut trees; and although no one lives there any more, it's considered very bad form to take stones from such places. Special stones smoothed by ocean waves carry a special spirit and reverence, but these were respected and not just left lying around. If you are digging in the hills and find such an ocean smoothed stone deeply buried, you're advised to leave it there, replace the soil, and treat it with respect.
At Fuku-Bonsai, in the tradition of Chinese "Spirit Rocks" and Japanese suiseki, we collect and display beautiful naturally sculptured lava. Our finest bonsai creations feature extraordinary rocks. Just as Fuku-Bonsai has a policy of not selling collected naturally shaped trees, we don't sell individual rock specimens. The lava used in our Hawaiian Lava Plantings are from the Kapoho area at the low elevation end of the eastern rift zone. Summit eruptions have a special reverence, but as time passes, eruptions move on down the rift zone. Near the end of an eruption cycle, the molten lava hits ground or sea water and the hot expanding steam sends frothy volcanic pumice high into the air. This is the material that serves as the base of our sterile non-soil planting media. Cinder cones of welded splatter mark the end of the eruption. Kapoho means "the waste" where Pele cleaned her plumbing system, and in Hawaii, such welded splatter is quarried for use as inexpensive fill material.
So where did the bad luck curse come from? Historians know this can be traced back to the early days of the tourism industry. Visitors have always been fascinated by the iridescent oily surface of fresh lava rocks and took pieces home. The sharp edges cut up the upholstery and the many small pieces that broke off were hard to clean. In spite of requests by drivers, many tourists just wouldn't listen and each group wanted to take home more. National park rules and our multi-cultural values prohibit taking fresh lava from the summit. Tourists ignored these rules and values and so the "curse" was born. As other touring car drivers learned of the effective ruse, each driver embellished the curse. It became a part of the creative mischievous mystique of Hawaiian tourism. Today the curse is pervasive and a basic part of a tour guide's education. But there is a valid psychological basis for the curse, and this I believe. Each of us should know right from wrong.
In Hawaii, everything has value, even rocks. Rocks are someone's property, and even after learning of the "curse," a person may not feel any guilt about taking rocks. Think about it. Knowingly taking anything is stealing and stealing is wrong! If you need a piece of lava for educational or other purposes, if you ask permission, it's likely that the owner of the property will give you a piece with their blessing. We will. It's simple to brazenly defy the curse, but it's impossible to build a mental defense against knowingly having stolen Hawaiian lava. The curse is blamed for any bad luck. The national park and many of us in Hawaii often receive cartons of lava with stories of a person's bad luck and a request to "return the lava." We do so with the hopes it will lift the curse so the person can go on to a better life. So to avoid the curse, don't steal lava!
an excerpt from an article written by: Don Alexander
The Big Island is a unique place to study earth sciences and nature. Near Keahole-Kona Airport, at Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), deep cold water is pumped to the surface to create electricity. The nutrient-rich water is also the basis for innovative aquaculture growing certified virus-free shrimp, edible seaweed, microalgaes, lobsters, abalone, and a whole range of products. At Kapoho, hot geothermal steam produces electricity. There are wind farms and biomass production of electricity too. Atop Mauna Kea some of the finest telescopes in the world make Hawaii a major center for astronomy research. All of these are exciting and interesting fields of study and the University of Hawaii at Hilo has been steadily building a reputation for its specialties and as one of the finest liberal arts small colleges in the nation. But for many of us, the most exciting area for amateur study is volcanology!
Big Islanders literally live on the fastest growing part of the world! The Hawaiian Islands is in the middle of a large plate which floats over a hot spot that sends molten lava to the surface to form volcanoes. As the plate moves new islands are formed while older islands weather away. If you look at a map, the Big Island is the largest, but also the youngest. Under the sea a new island is forming that will not surface for thousands of years.
There are many ways to learn volcanology. Each day, thousands visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the main visitor center gives a great introduction. At the edge of Halemaumau Crater, the Jaggar Museum shares a facility with the Hawaii Volcano Observatory and tourism and science meet. Summit eruptions send swift fiery rivers of lava. As tubes are formed, the lava retains its temperatures and travels hot and fast for many miles. As it hits the flats it slows down. Huge steam clouds are visible for miles when molten lava hits the sea. Exhibits explain and even when you know the scientific explanation of nature's awesome power, there's a wonderment and appreciation of the beauty!
Large tour buses tease you with an hour or so with stops at the visitor center, Jaggar Museum, Sulphur Banks, Crater Rim Drive, and Thurston Lava Tube. Those with rental cars can take in more with many stops off the main route to explore Devastation Trail, Chain of Craters Road, and to the end of the road covered by lava. With a spirit of adventure, it's possible to hike in closer. BUT BE CAREFUL AND OBEY THE PARK RANGERS! DON'T GO INTO RESTRICTED DANGEROUS AREAS! During a sunny summer day, the black lava fields are hot and you need heavy duty footwear and water. At night, it can get quite cold and you'll need good flashlights to move around. New lava fields are not stable and over an acre can suddenly collapse into the sea! People who don't respect the dangers die!
The "Curse" -
I've always been fascinated by the beauty of lava and this is reflected in Fuku-Bonsai's Hawaiian Lava Plantings. Visitors to Hawaii will hear of a curse and are strongly advised not to take home lava. Because I utilize lava in our creations, it's necessary for me to address this directly. When I first visited the Big Island, Myrtle's grandmother and family advised not to take lava from the National Park for several reasons. First, it's illegal as nothing, including lava rocks, should be taken from a national park. Secondly, the summit is the home of the Hawaiian goddess Pele; and out of respect, it's not proper to take anything from her home. The spirit of Hawaii demands that we respect multi-cultural values. So I talked with the Hawaiian elders and historians. No one really knows of any ancient prohibition regarding lava. There were numerous villages near the ocean "marked" by groves of coconut trees; and although no one lives there any more, it's considered very bad form to take stones from such places. Special stones smoothed by ocean waves carry a special spirit and reverence, but these were respected and not just left lying around. If you are digging in the hills and find such an ocean smoothed stone deeply buried, you're advised to leave it there, replace the soil, and treat it with respect.
At Fuku-Bonsai, in the tradition of Chinese "Spirit Rocks" and Japanese suiseki, we collect and display beautiful naturally sculptured lava. Our finest bonsai creations feature extraordinary rocks. Just as Fuku-Bonsai has a policy of not selling collected naturally shaped trees, we don't sell individual rock specimens. The lava used in our Hawaiian Lava Plantings are from the Kapoho area at the low elevation end of the eastern rift zone. Summit eruptions have a special reverence, but as time passes, eruptions move on down the rift zone. Near the end of an eruption cycle, the molten lava hits ground or sea water and the hot expanding steam sends frothy volcanic pumice high into the air. This is the material that serves as the base of our sterile non-soil planting media. Cinder cones of welded splatter mark the end of the eruption. Kapoho means "the waste" where Pele cleaned her plumbing system, and in Hawaii, such welded splatter is quarried for use as inexpensive fill material.
So where did the bad luck curse come from? Historians know this can be traced back to the early days of the tourism industry. Visitors have always been fascinated by the iridescent oily surface of fresh lava rocks and took pieces home. The sharp edges cut up the upholstery and the many small pieces that broke off were hard to clean. In spite of requests by drivers, many tourists just wouldn't listen and each group wanted to take home more. National park rules and our multi-cultural values prohibit taking fresh lava from the summit. Tourists ignored these rules and values and so the "curse" was born. As other touring car drivers learned of the effective ruse, each driver embellished the curse. It became a part of the creative mischievous mystique of Hawaiian tourism. Today the curse is pervasive and a basic part of a tour guide's education. But there is a valid psychological basis for the curse, and this I believe. Each of us should know right from wrong.
In Hawaii, everything has value, even rocks. Rocks are someone's property, and even after learning of the "curse," a person may not feel any guilt about taking rocks. Think about it. Knowingly taking anything is stealing and stealing is wrong! If you need a piece of lava for educational or other purposes, if you ask permission, it's likely that the owner of the property will give you a piece with their blessing. We will. It's simple to brazenly defy the curse, but it's impossible to build a mental defense against knowingly having stolen Hawaiian lava. The curse is blamed for any bad luck. The national park and many of us in Hawaii often receive cartons of lava with stories of a person's bad luck and a request to "return the lava." We do so with the hopes it will lift the curse so the person can go on to a better life. So to avoid the curse, don't steal lava!
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ShipMaven
Forever Remembered
Although I'm not superstitious, I know of the alleged "curse" of taking a piece of lava from the lava fields of Volcanoes National Park. In summer 1985, I decided to take a lava pebble as a souvenir. Later that year, my Dad began not to feel well. Early the next year, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and he passed away in August 1986.
Coincidence? I'm sure. But....
Coincidence? I'm sure. But....
ShipMaven
Forever Remembered
Mele Kalikimaka. Thursday is rolling around again, which means...
72 Weeks
until we sail for
Paradise in the Pacific,
our Circle Hawai'i
cruise aboard HAL Zaandam.
Oahu
Maui
Big Island
Kauai
Welcome aboard HAL Zaandam's
17-night Circle Hawai'i cruise
departing Vancouver 18 April 2013.
Aloha nui loa,
Mele Ana
(Mary Ann in Hawai'ian)
until we sail for
Paradise in the Pacific,
our Circle Hawai'i
cruise aboard HAL Zaandam.
Oahu
.JPG)
Maui
Big Island
Kauai
Welcome aboard HAL Zaandam's
17-night Circle Hawai'i cruise
departing Vancouver 18 April 2013.
Aloha nui loa,
Mele Ana
(Mary Ann in Hawai'ian)
ShipMaven
Forever Remembered
Mele Kalikimaka. Thursday is rolling around again, which means...
71 Weeks
until we sail for
Paradise in the Pacific,
our Circle Hawai'i
cruise aboard HAL Zaandam.
Oahu
Maui
Big Island
Kauai
Welcome aboard HAL Zaandam's
17-night Circle Hawai'i cruise
departing Vancouver 18 April 2013.
Aloha nui loa,
Mele Ana
(Mary Ann in Hawai'ian)
until we sail for
Paradise in the Pacific,
our Circle Hawai'i
cruise aboard HAL Zaandam.
Oahu
Maui
Big Island
Kauai
Welcome aboard HAL Zaandam's
17-night Circle Hawai'i cruise
departing Vancouver 18 April 2013.
Aloha nui loa,
Mele Ana
(Mary Ann in Hawai'ian)
- Status