When there are
earthquakes then that means Pele is in search of a new
home. When Pele would search among the islands she would
usually be disguised as an old woman with her
pa'oa. As Pele
traveled the islands she brought with her a huge wave.
This enormous wave killed the chiefs that were already
there. The name of the wave was kaiakahinali'i, which
means the sea which caused the chiefs to fall
down. Even if you
think that water and fire don't mix well, they are part
of Pele's body form. Pele is said to incorporate all the
elements of earth, fire, air, and water.
Pele is
the fire goddess of Hawaii and at various times has
resided in all the volcanoes that created the islands of
Hawaii. As Pele moved from home to home, she created new
volcanoes and new islands. She brought a stick with her,
which was called the pa'oa. She dug a hole with the pa'oa
wherever she wanted to make a home. Pele's journeys took
her from Ni'ihau and Kauai, the oldest inhabited islands
of Hawaii, to O'ahu. From there Pele moved on to Lana'i,
Moloka'i and Maui. Pele finally moved onto the island of
Hawaii. Pele still resides on the Big Island of Hawaii
and her fiery presence can currently be seen on Kilauea
volcano. Pele is also giving birth to the newest of the
Hawaiian islands, that of Lo'ihi, off the southeastern
coast of the Big Island, deep beneath the ocean waters.
