Pele (deity)

Pele
Goddess of Volcanoes and Fire
Pele by D. Howard Hitchcock, c. 1929
AbodeHalemaʻumaʻu
Symbolfire, volcano
Genealogy
ParentsHaumea
Ku-waha-ilo
SiblingsHiʻiaka
Nāmaka
Kapo
Kamohoalii
Kāne Milohai

In Hawaiian religion, Pele (pronounced [ˈpɛlɛ]) is the goddess of volcanoes and fire and the creator of the Hawaiian Islands. Often referred to as "Madame Pele" or "Tūtū Pele" as a sign of respect, she is a well-known deity within Hawaiian mythology and is notable for her contemporary presence and cultural influence as an enduring figure from ancient Hawaii.[1] Epithets of the goddess include Pele-honua-mea ('Pele of the sacred land') and Ka wahine ʻai honua ('The earth-eating woman').[2]

In different stories talking about the goddess Pele, she was born from the female spirit named Haumea, a descendant of Papa, or Earth Mother, and Wakea, Sky Father, both descendants of the supreme beings. Pele is also known as "She who shapes the sacred land," known to be said in ancient Hawaiian chants.[3][4] The first published stories about Pele were written down by William Ellis.[5]: 5 

  1. ^ 'Iolana, Patricia (2006). "TuTu Pele: The Living Goddess of Hawaiʻi's Volcanoes". Sacred History.
  2. ^ H. Arlo Nimmo (2011). Pele, Volcano Goddess of Hawai'i: A History. McFarland. p. 208. ISBN 978-0-7864-6347-3.
  3. ^ Wong, Alia (11 May 2018). "Madame Pele's Grip on Hawaii". The Atlantic. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Pele – Goddess of Fire" Archived 2017-03-26 at the Wayback Machine. Coffee Times, retrieved on 8 April 2018.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :02 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).