Pele

A long time ago on a island in the sea, a goddess named Haumea, the goddess of the earth, had her child. One night Haumea saw thunder rolling in the sky, she knew it was time to give birth. The next morning Haumea's family saw a baby girl wrapped in tapa cloth. Haumea named her Pelehonuamea.

From the day she was born Pele knew she was different.

She had firey red hair and eyes and a quick temper. Her uncle, Lonomakua, the keeper of the flames saw that Pele was the one to whom he was going to teach his secrets.

After Pele learned the secrets of the flames, her older sister Namaka, the goddess of water, forced Pele out of her home. Namaka said the island would burn if she stayed. So Pele set off with her dearly beloved brothers and sisters and found a new island called Hawaii.

On Hawaii she found that there was another god named 'Aila'au which means forest eater. 'Aila'au and Pele both wanted Kilauea to be their home. Pele knew that fire goddess never gives up. 'Aila'au and Pele went into a battle. They threw fire balls at each other. They erupted volcanoes to see who could let more lava and smoke flow out. In the end the sky was black from the smoke.

The battle ended and the wind took a long time to blow the smoke out into the sea. When the air was really clear 'Aila'au was gone.

Pele had beaten 'Aila'au and lived in Kilauea. People who lived below Kilauea respect Pele.

Here are some of the beliefs about Pele. If you take a lava rock home then Pele will get mad and give you bad luck. If you see an old lady or a young lady with red clothes on with a white dog it would be better to help her in anyway she asks, because she is Pele.