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THE STORY
The age-old theme of sibling rivalry lies at the heart of the drama of "Holo Mai Pele." But it is at the same time the story of an individual's heroic awakening into selfhood. The legend begins by introducing the central figures of the drama, the two sisters, Pele and Hi'iaka, whose family had migrated across the seas to dwell in the domain of the fiery volcano Kilauea on the island of Hawaii.
Pele, a proud, imperious beauty of great power, is the matriarch of the clan. She wishes to find her lover Lohi'au and commands her younger sister Hi'iaka to fetch him. Before she leaves on her errand, Hi'iaka is given the gift of hula, and she in turn entrusts to Pele the care of her beloved 'ohi'a groves. 'Ohi'a trees and their fragile, brilliantly colored flowers are emblematic of Hi'iaka.
The guileless younger sister sets out on her journey and battles, in succession, demons, death, and the seduction of lust. She encounters relatives and others who, charmed by her innocence and character, reveal to her the genealogy of the Pele clan. Hi'iaka grows in strength with each encounter and soon claims her full stature as a goddess -- she becomes one who takes and restores life. However, nothing can fully prepare her for the consequences of falling in love with Lohi'au.
Soon enough, Pele discovers the lovers, and in a fit of vengeance destroys all things beloved by Hi'iaka: she kills Lohi'au and burns her sister's 'ohi'a groves to the ground. Faced with this profound betrayal, Hi'iaka undergoes a painful loss of innocence. Yet it is this very loss that ultimately frees the goddess to stand up and face Pele in battle.
The epic struggle of Pele and Hi'iaka is played out to this day in the ongoing tension and balance of natural forces. After each eruption, lava flows destroy what life lies in their paths, but before long, they become beds for 'ohi'a seedlings. In the Hawaiian cosmology, Pele and Hi'iaka comprise the eternal cycle of destruction and renewal that drives creation.
Top banner photos: Pele's lover, Lohi'au;
members of the famed dance company Halau O Kekuhi. |
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The stunning costumes are all original
and created by the individual dancers. |
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Pualani Kanaka'ole Kanahele, one of
the co-creators of the dance work. |
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