![]() I experience the same sense of wonder that my mother did when she first witnessed a dormant volcano erupt, and the power of Hawai’i’s natural forces continues to evoke and create fond memories.Ĭontact Derek Kamakanaaloha Soong at. Bearing witness to the majesty of Pele and her power, especially on a day as significant as Lā Kūʻokoʻa, only affirms what Hawaiians have known for generations - that the patriotism and steadfastness of their sovereignty erupts with the same fervor as the lava running down Mauna Loa’s slopes.Įven if I can’t personally witness the eruption, there is widespread enthusiasm during this time of hulihia, or upheaval. For Hawaiians, a knowledge of the natural world allows us to live in harmony with the land, even when it threatens us. When nature displays something as magnificent as a volcanic eruption, trying to conquer its path seems unreasonable. The flow stopped before it reached the river, but whether the bombing assisted remains controversial. Army Air Services, at the command of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s founder, dropped 20 600-pound bombs on Mauna Loa to halt its flow threatening Wailuku River, Hilo’s main source of water. In 1881, as lava threatened the city of Hilo, Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani approached the flow and offered chants, brandy and red scarves - the lava flow shortly thereafter turned cold. People have long attempted to redirect or stop entirely flows of lava emanating from Mauna Loa. In 2018, when a new fissure rose in the Leilani Estates neighborhood, Pele wiped out an entire community in her path, including a beach house that was once owned by my great-grandparents. It wouldn’t be the first time lava has affected the island’s infrastructure. The lava shows no direct threat to the people of the island, though the flow slowly approaches the island’s key highway, which connects the two most heavily populated living centers on Hawaiʻi. Some businesses have come under fire for exploiting and commercializing Hawaiʻi’s traditional beliefs, which is nothing new to the locals. Tourists have flocked to the island to witness Pele’s grandeur, arriving at a time when tourism is normally low. However, the island’s residents are not the only people enjoying the beauty of Mauna Loa’s eruptions. Despite being feared, Pele and her power are respected. ![]() Rows of cars are parked beside the main highway to bear witness to this natural wonder. Videos that my brother posted to our family group chat show rivers of magma running down Mauna Loa’s slopes at night, casting a reddish glow across the sky. Native Hawaiians have practiced rites, including chanting, dancing, crafting lei and offering ceremonies, all throughout the islands in honor of this significant and central character’s return to Mauna Loa.Īlthough I have family living on Hawaiʻi Island, the widespread awe of Hawaiʻi’s spiritual and natural powers have lessened any worry for their safety. Other names for Pele are Ka Wahine ‘Ai Honua, or The Earth-Eating woman, and Pelehonuamea, or Pele of the Sacred Earth. The deity Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and fire, is responsible for this power of creation and destruction. Hawaiians have revered volcanoes for their role in creating new land, which in turn births new life. Many have viewed the eruption’s timing as a hōʻailona, or natural omen - it may be considered nature’s own celebration that runs parallel to Lā Kūʻokoʻa. Lā Kāʻokoʻa commemorates the day in 1843 when England and France, through the Anglo-Franco Proclamation, and the United States verbally, acknowledged Hawaiʻi’s sovereignty. 27 of this year - a half hour before Hawaiians celebrate Lā Kūʻokoʻa, or Hawaiian Independence Day. Mauna Loa, which means “long mountain” in the Hawaiian language, erupted on the evening of Nov. And now, following 38 years of slumber, Mauna Loa once again displays its full strength. ![]() Her account of witnessing the approaching flow serves as a lasting reminder of this volcano’s innate power. It did so less than 40 miles from her home in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, and stopped just four miles shy of her and the city. ![]() When Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984, my mother was in elementary school. The mountain is overturned, hot with fire. Derek Kamakanaaloha Soong, Identity & Equity EditorĮ heluhelu i kēia moʻolelo ma o ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi | Read this article in Hawaiian
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |