► Pele Fights with Poliahu, Lilinoe and Waiau

Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Thursday, December 3, 1959 - Clarice B. Taylor's Tales about Hawaii

     Pele has had a fight with Poliahu, the snow maiden, for many centuries. The fight goes on today although the two have agreed upon a truce.

     Poliahu is the snow white maiden who lives most of the year on Mauna Kea. But Poliahu wanders. She often covers Mauna Kea, Hualalai and the crater of Hualalai and the crater of Haleakala with snow.

     Poliahu is always seen with a white coat and accompanied by the snow maidens Lilinoe, Waiau and Kahoupokane.
These three have homes on the top of Mauna Kea near or on the beautiful lake Waiau.

SLEDDING
     After making her home at Kilauea, Pele took over the mountain Mauna Loa s a portion of her domain. She loved to go sledding down the slopes of Mauna Loa.

     One day she was sledding down Mauna Loa when she ran into a group of beautiful maidens. The most beautiful was clad in a white cape. So Pele recognized her as Poliahu. Poliahu greeted Pele and the battle began.

    Some think that Pele was angered to have such a beautiful woman tresspassing on her domain.

Pele loosed the greatest flows the Island of Hawaii had ever seen. One of the flows from Mauna Kea which went to the sea formed the penninsula of Laupahohoe (leaf of lava).

     So great were the fires, the snow Maidens led by Poliahu, retreated to the top of Mauna Kea and remained there for a long time. Poliahu called the clouds to come and protect her. So they gathered about Mauna Kea and hid her and her maidens. The clouds dropped snow on many of the fire fountains and successfully extinguished them.

     Lava choked many of the flowing burning rivers.

     Poliahu returned to the battle years later. She has kept the valleys about the foot of Mauna Loa green and fertile.

MAKES TRUCE
     Pele has often risen to do battle with Poliahu. She particularly loves to renew the fight from the summit of Mauna Loa. From there she can send streams of Lava which flow to the sea. 

     Finally Pele made a truce with Poliahu. She agreed to confine her domain to the south of the Island of Hawaii and leave the north Poliahu.

     Some say that it is this agreement which keeps Pele from sending one of her flows to Hilo.

     Another legend says that Hilo is protected by an agreement which Pele made with Namaka, Queen of the seas. Hilo will always be protected from Pele but she suffers when Namaka sends a tidal wave into Hilo Bay.

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