Pele Greets Sister Namaka

Things are really flowing here on the Big Island of Hawaii!  Down here in Puna, where lava has been flowing continuously for over 30 years, "Punatics" are living on the edge -- literally.  A couple years ago, as you may know, the lava flow from Kilauea's Pu'u O'o vent rather suddenly changed directions and headed straight toward our little Village of Pahoa.  Stopping only a few hundred feet from splitting the town in half, thankfully the flow returned to a path taking it toward the ocean.

"Moon Rise at Mokuna" by Lunel Haysmer (c)

"Sunset at Mokuna" by Lunel Haysmer (c)

Once again Pele has made national news as lava is now flowing into the ocean. Or, as Hawaiian traditions tell, Pele has returned to embrace her sister, Namaka, Goddess of the Sea.

Like many local artists, I have been inspired to created two versions of one of my "lava drawings" -- to feature a MOON RISE in one, and a SUNSET in the other.

Please do not use these images without asking.  As with my other images, they are copyrighted, and available as 5x7 note cards ($3 each..)  They are available as gallery-wrapped 18x24" canvases.

For Christmas I will be offering them as quilted soft sculpture fabric art for wall hangings. You may contact me through this blog site for more information.   MAHALO


 

Keahialaka - Leilani Estates

Keahialaka is at Latitude  19.47/Longitude 154.9

When we first bought our house in the Puna District on the Big Island of Hawaii, I remember reading that our subdivision had a historical place name of Keahialaka Ahupua’a.  (Ahupua’a is an old Hawaiian term referring to a traditional socio/economic, geographic and climatic area of land.)

Here is some information from hawaiianhistory.org:   The ancient ahupua`a, the basic self-sustaining unit, extended elements of Hawaiian spirituality into the natural landscape. Amidst a belief system that emphasized the interrelationship of elements and beings, the ahupua`a contained those interrelationships in the activities of daily and seasonal life. Shaped by island geography, each ahupua`a was a wedge-shaped area of land running from the uplands to the sea, following the natural boundaries of the watershed. Each ahupua`a contained the resources the human community needed, from fish and salt, to fertile land for farming taro or sweet potato, to koa and other trees growing in upslope areas. Villagers from the coast traded fish for other foods or for wood to build canoes and houses. Specialized knowledge and resources peculiar to a small area were also shared among ahupua`a.

And here is an interesting story about Pele and how she is associated with the place where we live.  This information was taken from Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes, William Drake Westervelt 1916

Lunel's Art -- "Green Flash"

"When Pele came to the island Hawaii, she first stopped at a place called Ke-ahi-a-laka in the district of Puna. From this place she began her inland journey toward the mountains. As she passed on her way there grew within her an intense desire to go at once and see Ai-laau, the god to whom Kilauea belonged, and find a resting-place with him as the end of her journey. She came up, but Ai-laau was not in his house. Of a truth he had made himself thoroughly lost. He had vanished because he knew that this one coming toward him was Pele. He had seen her toiling down by the sea at Ke-ahi-a-laka. Trembling dread and heavy fear overpowered him. He ran away and was entirely lost. When she came to that pit she laid out the plan for her abiding home, beginning at once to dig up the foundations. She dug day and night and found that this place fulfilled all her desires. Therefore, she fastened herself tight to Hawaii for all time." 

Ke-ahi-a-laka - Leilani Estates

WHAT'S IN A NAME?


When we first bought our house in Puna on the Big Island, I remember reading about some of the historical place names, including Keahialaka which was the prehistorical cultural place name for Leilani Estates. 



Now that we are done with our major projects, we have returned to learning more about this beautiful new home.  
Reading more legends, I came across this interesting story about Pele and how she is associated with the place where we live.  


This information was taken from Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes, William Drake Westervelt 1916

"When Pele came to the island Hawaii, she first stopped at a place called Ke-ahi-a-laka in the district of Puna. From this place she began her inland journey toward the mountains. As she passed on her way there grew within her an intense desire to go at once and see Ai-laau, the god to whom Kilauea belonged, and find a resting-place with him as the end of her journey. She came up, but Ai-laau was not in his house. Of a truth he had made himself thoroughly lost. He had vanished because he knew that this one coming toward him was Pele. He had seen her toiling down by the sea at Ke-ahi-a-laka. Trembling dread and heavy fear overpowered him. He ran away and was entirely lost....  She laid out the plan for her abiding home, beginning at once to dig up the foundations. She dug day and night and found that this place fulfilled all her desires. Therefore, she fastened herself tight to Hawaii for all time."

 

Keahialaka (known today as Leilani Estates) is at Latitude 19.47/Longitude 154.91

Approximately 8 square miles south of Pahoa.