Halemaumau

Halemaumau crater at midday February 19, 2023

Smoke rises from the floor of the lava lake and climbs the crater walls. A rainbow appears on the ground. Not in the air, but reflected onto the lava’s cracked black surface. It does not appear in pictures. An illusion? The goddess appears. Strewn along the edge are offerings to Pele - singular blossoms and leis of all kinds, ti leaves. the wind picks up, Pele is after all, the goddess of wind, fire and lightning. There is something sacred standing there watching the smoke rise and swirl with the wind, the colors of the rainbow on the ground. I want to learn the chant to Pele - and Elizabeth reminds me of the time we watched the sun rise and a group of Hawaiian school children started singing behind us - the sunrise chant to Pele. Magic appears everywhere here. Mana - the power within all things to change and transform into something else.