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"Pele has given the grace of quiet to us today," Kim told
residents, both native Hawaiians and those who moved there from
abroad, at the Pahoa high school meeting.
He took it for granted they all knew he was talking about the
legendary goddess that lives in the Halemaumau crater of
Kilauea, which has been almost continuously active since 1983.
Living under one of the world's most active volcanoes means
learning to live with a fickle force of nature, personified by
Pele.
Pele oversees "any and all volcanic phenomenon: lava flow,
steam, fumes, earthquakes," says Bobby Camara, a retired Park
Ranger at the vast Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the biggest
tourist attraction on Hawaii's Big Island.
"She is the reason we are here. She made Hawaii," he says,
referring to the fact the Hawaii Islands were formed from
undersea volcanic eruptions.
Signs of Pele can be seen everywhere.
Paintings of her in the gift shops and galleries of Pahoa town
by the slopes of Kilauea typically portray a women with long,
flowing hair in the shape of a volcano, hands cupping a ball of
fire or dressed in a fiery garment.
A homage to Pele is usually featured in Hula dance performances
on the Big Island.
"Pele's hair" are wispy strands of glass formed out of the lava
fountains erupting from ground fissures in communities around
the volcano. The wind has scattered her "hair" far and wide, and
can be seen hanging from trees and telephone poles.
She features in Hawaii's famous Hula dances, including one named
Kilauea, with the lyrics:
"At the heights of Kīlauea,
Are seen the fires of the woman.
Pele, the woman, dances,
Surging back and forth."
Residents of Leilani Gardens, who were evacuated after lava
fountains erupted from several fissures there, have placed
offerings of flowers and ti leaves, used to make Leis, on the
oozing lava flows.
They are allowed back into the neighborhood to check on their
homes for a period each day. For some, it's also a chance to
watch the pyrotechnic eruptions.
"This is my second experience of an amazing display of Pele's
power," says Hannique Ruder, 65, "It's devastating and beautiful
at the same time. We're all in fear of her power, and yet you
have to see the creative force at work here as well."
Glenn Canon, 61, a retired respiratory therapist, and his wife
were also among those evacuated from Leilani Gardens. He's now
planning to move to a rental home in Hilo, far from the volcano.
"We don't want to leave. We settled in for our retirement and
planned to stay right there. It looks like Madame Pele has other
plans for us. This is her land and when she wants it back,
she'll take it from us."
(Additional reporting by Jolyn Rosa in Honolulu and Marco Garcia
in Pahoa, Hawaii; Writing by Bill Tarrant; Editing by Sandra
Maler)
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