All You Need to Know About Pele’s Curse
According to cursed visitors, taking rocks from Hawaii will lead to bad luck. Read all you need to know about Pele’s Curse.
Beware of Pele’s Curse
“Erica”, a 25 year old graduate student, studied volcanology at the University of Hawaii. As a scientist, she was skeptical of superstition.
She offered Pele a bottle of liquor in exchange for some rocks. Pele was not appeased.
Erica’s misfortunes began after she returned to Los Angeles, California. She developed unexplained health problems.
One evening as she was in a fast-food drive-through, she was punched in the face by a random stranger.
Her car broke down.
She told me of her problems and asked if I would give her a ride to the mechanic’s shop. She warned me about her bad luck.
I have a considerable amount of good luck, I figured it would neutralize her bad luck. As I drove onto the freeway there were a few cars and not much traffic. Without warning a car that was traveling behind us spun in a circle and crashed into four other cars.
Her bad luck had followed us.
Pele Myth
Hawaiians believe the fire goddess Pele is a volcano deity that controls lava. There are several versions of her origin stories, the migration legend and expulsion version.
Between 850 and 1250 AD, Pele travelled from a distant land. She used a stick to dig a pit deep enough for herself and her family of associated flame and cloud spirit gods. She went to different Hawaiian Islands.
In the migration legend, Pele was born to Moemoe (Moemoe-a-aulii, Pele’s father) and Haumea (Goddess of fertility and childbirth, Pele’s mother). She wanted to travel. Her father gave her a canoe.
She used the canoe to travel to different Hawaiian Islands. She appeared in the form of a beautiful woman and fell in love with Lohiau. Pele traveled from island to island. She was searching for a home.
In the Expulsion version, Pele’s parents were Kane-hoa-lani and Haumea. Pele trifled with the fire God, Lono-makua. He was the husband of her older sister, Na-maka-o-kahaʻi, a sea goddess.
Pele was pursued by her older sister to Maui where Pele was torn to pieces. Pele’s bones were buried at Ka-iwi-o-Pele and her spirit traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii.
In a different version, Pele’s spirit rested at Mokuaweoweo (Summit crater, Mauna Loa, Hawaii). Her spirit was revived at Kilauea. Visitors to Haleakala National Park report seeing Pele at the Kilauea’s Halemaumau Crater.
When visiting Kilauea, ask Pele permission to travel over her land. Offerings to Pele include: ‘ama‘u (Sadleria cyatheoides fern), pork, red fish, banana, ‘ōhi‘a-lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) blossoms, and red ‘ōhelo (Vaccinium reticulatum) berries.
Whiskey is not on the offering list.
Is it Just Superstition?
Pele’s myths do not mention bad luck attached to taking rocks.
It was likely a Volcanoes National Park Ranger or tour guides that created Pele’s curse to deter visitors from disturbing the natural habitat. In the 1950s, tourists were taking rocks and sand as souvenirs or forgetting them in the tour buses.
Pele’s curse may be superstition. It was no joke to Erica and regretful rock collectors.
It is also a powerful reminder not to take rocks from Haleakala National Park.
Happy, Yet Expensive Ending
Erica spent a considerable amount of money to airmail the rocks back to Hawaii.
She believed her bad fortune remained. She did not send all the rocks back. One errant piece of rock lodged in the pocket of her pants.
Erica sent it back. Her fortune improved.
She learned a great lesson: respect the land and leave the rocks.
Now you know all about Pele’s Curse. Have a safe trip to Hawaii!
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