► Pele on the Island of Oahu and Maui

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Tuesday, December 1, 1959 - Clarice B. Taylor's "Tales about Hawaii"

     Just before Pele left the Island of Kauai, she made one more attempt to build a home above Waimea Canyon. She dug with Pa-oa on the brink of the canyon and left a red mound which is today known as Puu-ka-Pele.

     It may be seen on the edge of the canyon today and is a favorite lookout for tourists.

     Pele then came to the Island of Oahu. She knew from her experience at Puu-ka-Pele that Paloa (spelled differently from previous stories) her digging stick, would not dig a deep place on a mountain side., yet she went ahead a dug a hole on the plains back of Moanalua. The crater filled with salt water and was named Ke-alia-paa-kai and is know today as Salt Lake.

     Since she could not dig deep into a mountain side and establish firm foundations, Pele confined her diggings to the sea shore, notably at Leahi, now Diamond Head.

DISGUSTED
     Disgusted with Oahu, Pele and her family migrated across the channel to the Island of Maui. There they lived contently for many years in the great crater Haleakala. 

     From her high cloudland in Nuu-mea-lani (raised dias of heaven), the sea-queen Nakamaka (varied spelling from previous stories) watched Pele's craters filling with water and laughed with glee. The long residence in Haleakala crater made her determined to fight it out with Pele. She lured Pele to the high plateau land above the hedland of Kauiki Nui, off Hana.

     The two sisters fought a battle hand to hand. Namaka succeeded in tearing the lava bones of Pele and scattering them around on the land that is called Na-iwi-o-Pele (The bones of Pele). Visitors may see some of those bones to this day.

     Namaka went back to Nuu-me-lani delighted to think that Pele was dead and would never again annoy her.

     Namaka was misatken. She had destroyed the mortal body of Pele but not her immortal spirit.

TO KILAUEA
     Pele took on another mortal body and led her family across the ocean to the coast of Puna, Hawaii. They landed at a small fishing village and Pele led the way up the mountainside until she came to the pit called Kilauea.

     There was no one at home, so she dug into the pit and made a home for herself and family.

     The reason no one was at home is that the firegod Ailaau had seen pele coming and had run away. Perhaps he hid in some of the caves on Mauna Loa. He has never been seen since.

     Pele dug and dug at Kilauea with her magic stick. She found Hale-mau-mau and Kilauea to her liking. Far off in Nuu-mea-lani Namaka knew Pele was still alive. She saw the spirit of her sister standing over Kilauea.

NEXT: Gifts for Pele