Holo Mai Pele is the epic saga of Pele, goddess of the volcano and her youngest sister Hi'iaka.

It is also the myth of the volcanic nature of the Hawaiian islands Narrator: The saga begins when Pele sends Hi'iaka.

to the island of Kauai to fetch her lover the handsome chief Lohi'au.

[Singing in Hawaiian.]

This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Right side of the canoe, you will do your welina step on the right side first and those on the left side of canoe you will do your welina step on the left side of the canoe.

Hula is a reflection of life.

Hula is a way of retelling history.

[Chanting in rehearsal] What hula does is it transports us from this world into another it is that vehicle that makes us feel and think and be very Hawaiian.

[Chanting in rehearsal] [Chant: Holo mai Pele mai ka hikina] [A kau ka wa‘a i Mo‘okini] [Noho i ka ua o Kūmalae] [Ho‘okū Pele mā i ke ki‘i] [Noho i ke ki‘i a Pele mā / A ka pua ‘o Ko‘i ‘Eli‘eli kau mai e Pele ē!]

Holo Pai Mele is the epic saga of Pele, goddess of the volcano and her youngest sister Hi'iaka.

It is also the myth of the volcanic nature of the Hawaiian islands After Pele erupts and new land is formed Hi'iaka heals the land with new vegetation Both are necessary in the cycle of destruction and regeneration that gives life to the Hawaiian islands.

We honor the powers of Pele and Hi'iaka by dancing the myth.

[Chant] At the end of each of the dances that we do, we give the name of the person that the dance is dedicated to.

So it's He Noa No Hi‘iaka Ka Poli O Pele, the name song for Hi‘iaka.

[Singing in rehearsal] The dance steps that you see are traditional dance steps.

They've always been done and they represent different movements in nature whether it has to do with the wind in a circular movement or the currents in a circular movement.

[Singing in rehearsal] We're practicing right now for the Hi‘iaka part of this particular epic.

"Okay we have to learn more..." And it talks about how she goes about finding out what is inside of her, those god qualities inside of her and how she needs to bring them out eventually.

And so she is sent on a journey.

It's much like all of us who go on our life journey and we find out different things about ourselves from experiences and so she's sent on this journey to find out about who she is.

Narrator: The saga begins when Pele sends Hi'iaka to the island of Kauai to fetch her lover, the handsome chief Lohi'au.

Before Hi'iaka undertakes the journey, Pele promises her that she will protect Hi'iaka's precious forest of leihua blossoms.

Pele warns Hi'iaka not to entice or fall in love with Lohi'au.

She then asks her to perform the hula before she leaves.

Hi'iaka's simple dance imitates the movement of the wind in the trees and the undulating tide of the sea.

[Singing in Hawaiian.]

Hi'iaka begins her journey with Pa'upalai, a traveling companion.

She is to teach Hi'iaka how to call upon her gods.

[Singing in Hawaiian] God, of the celestial sphere I am inquiring of you Who are the gods above?

They are the dog clouds They are the tall ones of the mountains The place of the rain The rain that falls on the cliffs.

The cliffs are the tall mountains Where the earth trembles The lightning flashes and thunder is heard The fire rages, This is the house of Pele.

Bathe in the sacred pools Drink the sacred 'awa of the gods Then enter the house of Pele.

The deities that we're talking about all have to do with different parts of nature.

Wahine‘oma‘o is the woman that Hi’iaka meets as she is going into the forest.

Wahine‘oma‘o translates as the green woman.

And the green woman is who Hi'iaka is.

Her task is to change everything upon this devastated land to grieve.

Narrator: At the edge of the dense rainforest of Pana'ewa, they are joined by Wahine‘oma‘o.

The women are confronted by a giant reptile as they enter his domain He threatens to eat them.

Hi'iaka and her companions call upon Pele and the other gods to assist them.

They wage battle against the reptile until he is defeated.

[Chanting and singing in Hawaiian] Narrator: Leaving the island of Hawai'i, only Hi'iaka and Wahine‘oma‘o continue the quest.

When they arrive on the island of Maui they encounter the pathetic sight of a limbless woman struggling to gather food at the seashore, lamenting her hardships.

A shark appears riding the waves.

Delighted, this spirit of joy is awakened in her for a moment.

It is stormy with gusting winds Breaking the leaves of 'awa.

While the sea lies calmly I crawl along the sea edge Pounding shellfish Picking seaweed.

I am the limbless woman.

Alas!

Little fish with ominous eyes Flat-nosed fish of the ocean Leaping swordfish of the sea Found in the onslaught of the waves Of the deep blue sea I am consumed, consumed by this large shark [Chanting in Hawaiian] An awa ceremony is a way of bringing everybody together so that they will be of one mind.

So sometimes there's an awa ceremony for the big journey on a canoe.

In this case, Hi'iaka, when she is about ready to go off to the island of Kauai, it is a way of bringing all of these thoughts and her tasks into focus.

Narrator: The goddess Hi'iaka and Wahine‘oma'o travel on to the island of O'ahu.

There Hi'iaka is welcomed with an awa drinking ceremony to honor the female deities of creation and procreation.

Pele is my goddess.

The heavens are silent.

The earth is silent.

The drink is consecrated and dedicated.

The drink of Hi'iaka.

Dedicated also to the goddess of good health.

For the women, The drink is sprinkled with saltwater.

Narrator: Hi'iaka stands on the edge of a cliff looking towards the island of Kauai watching the ocean dash against the bluff below she is reminded of the task ahead to find Pele's lover Lohi'au.

[Chanting in Hawaiian.]

[Chanting in rehearsal] The halau is a school.

For us and our family, it's a school of dance.

A school of hula.

There is a protocol in in the halau.

You need to give a chant and ask permission to enter.

And we will listen to you if it is at our halau and see if you're very sincere about this.

And then we chant back to you and allow you to come in.

We have these kinds of chants for almost anything.

When we go up to the forest we have a chance to ask permission to go in the forest and gather different things to make our leis or gather medicine.

And all of this is just a sense of asking permission.

Knowing that there is something there that guards and protects and takes care of these different things.

It's a very humbling thing to ask permission and it's even more humbling when you are, you know, of status to ask permission.

Sometimes we all need to do that.

Narrator: Hi'iaka and Wahine‘oma'o reach the island of Kauai and seek the home of a gifted seer, keeper of Pele's history.

But only his wife is at home, noisily pounding her kapa cloth.

Hi'iaka requests permission to enter her home but the woman feigns indifference.

Her haughty rudeness receives a sharp rebuke from Hi'iaka.

The famous mountain stands in the calm pulling towards the heavens place of the water source.

My entrance to this island is obstructed.

The hospitality is hidden.

Do not hold back your voice.

There is no answer to my request.

Narrator: Hi'iaka finds the seer and recognizes he is crippled and she heals him.

in honor of her presence he arranges a celebration where he recites the history of her sister, Pele.

He tells of Pele's travels to the islands, her likes and dislikes, her strengths and weaknesses.

Pele fought a battle in her old homeland The battle she fought with her oldest sister.

Pele fled to Hawai'i Lightning flashing in her eyes Flashing like the bright moon.

May a profound reverence alight!

The timber for the god's house is gathered The axe will do its task.

The god is in the uplands Upon the turbulent waves from her homeland.

Covering Kïlauea A sea of lava turns directions Towards the lehua forest Towards the forest of Puna Moving about, then settling.

Here we are, a profound reverence!

Upon the cliff sits the sacred trees The place where the lesser gods gather.

Pele, an important goddess, enters With other prominent goddesses To light the small fire, Pele’s essences, there.

Lightning flashes to the heavens [Chanting in Hawaiian] Narrator: The seer reveals to Hi'iaka that Lohi’au has died because of his overcoming desire to be with the goddess Pele.

Hi'iaka is anxious to find him and bring him back to life so she calls upon her gods to help her find his body.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] "They can go 'eia ka wai, eia wai ola' and then give it to him."

"And nobody does that properly..." The scene of the revivication for Lohi’au is a very complex scene.

"She's preparing all the medicine."

We have three women chanting.

They're all different phases of Hi'iaka.

The very young innocent person that is actually doing the chants and then this learned person who has brought all of her experiences together and is now doing this particular ceremony.

And then there is a Hi'iaka who has gone on to life and is more experienced and knows exactly what she's doing and what she wants to pull out of the atmosphere in order to bring life back to him.

And so you have all these different stages of Hi'iaka being pulled together to perform this particular ceremony.

Narrator: In a cavern in the sea cliffs, Hi'iaka discovers Lohi’au's body.

Chanting powerful prayers to her gods and using medicinal herbs and sacred water Hi'iaka enticed to Lohi’au's spirit to re-enter his body.

The powerful prayer sapped Hi'iaka's strength.

Her stamina and mana are tested as she gains the experience of giving life.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] God of the celestial sphere This is a prayer for life You who dwell in the brightness of heaven.

Who is the deity who sparks life?

You of the colored dog clouds You of the upright rain clouds.

I, Hi'iaka, have come Because of my love towards my sister.

Grant this life So that he may live!

It is my duty to inspire life, And life has come.

Lohi’au is granted life.

He has life, he lives.

Inspire and stir Animate life Animate the waters The living waters.

Come and inspire your servant.

Here is the water of life.

It is for you to grant life.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] Narrator: Hi'iaka, Wahine‘oma'o, and Lohi’au begin their journey back to the island of Hawai'i.

Upon their arrival on the island of O'ahu they are invited as honored guests to participate in kilu, a courtship game that encourages procreation.

This particular scene talks about procreation of, not so much things of nature but of man and woman.

This is a test for Hi'iaka because she's looking at this man that she has just brought back to life.

And this is the lover of her sister and she is falling in love with him.

And so this is a test of loyalty.

The flower is from the mist of Kilauea.

Oh, where is the bird with the curved beak That will suckle the Lehua flower?

Here it is Where are you, beloved bird?

Fly to the upland.

There is the drink Plump sea bird.

It is right behind me.

Here is the game piece for this fine man.

Is it you or you, or perhaps you?

Ah, you are the one to play.

The prize for the winner is a kiss.

My love of the fair land of Mana Overcome by the rush of water Drifts like strands of long leaves The male is passionate in flowing water The breeze appears from below The thruster lies poised, inside Leaving the envious upland blossom Sitting there, entwined, secured Until the right time arrives.

The knot that binds us is precious.

The song of praise is offered.

The fragrance of the hala blossom is inhaled Made intoxicating by the soft rain.

I am offering a lei I will give a lei to my beloved So that we may make love And lie together.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] Narrator: Hi'iaka, overcome with desire, dreams of making love to Lohi’au.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] Narrator: Pele grows impatient waiting for the return of Hi'iaka and Lohi'au She imagines they have already made love.

In revenge, Pele destroys Hi'iaka's leihua forest.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] The blazing fire rages in the sun Glowing in the sea at Puna.

The sea there is bright.

The crater there stands erect.

The lehua forest there is visible.

What is the meaning of this vision?

It means that everything is destroyed.

Narrator: When Hi'iaka sees her forest in ashes she is enraged.

She makes love to Lohi'au, then gathers all of her strength, knowledge, and power to destroy Pele, her older sister who once nurtured her.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] The heavens split Move forth, Hi'iaka of the rough seas Hi'iaka of the calm seas Hi'iaka who destroys villages Hi'iaka of the fiery glow Hi'iaka of the healing art Hi'iaka who resides on the promontory Hi'iaka who breaks up the heavens Hi'iaka in the bosom of Pele Tears flow.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] Narrator: Hi'iaka's strength is immense.

She strikes at Pele's weaknesses but because to destroy Pele is to destroy the creator of land, the older gods stop the battle.

Is there fault, jealousy, strife, or conflict?

That you two should fight?

For the enemy, the fiery woman Questions her younger sister The two sides attack each other Attack until the earth turns.

Reaching to the summit of the mountain The winds of the south are comforting.

What type of skirt does the woman wear?

Her skirt is made up of ferns and ti leaf That is what is bound upon her.

My patience with Pele is over.

I fear the goddess with the gaping mouth.

The land is freed of the onslaught The uplands and lowlands.

The land of the goddess is freed.

Narrator: A truce is reached.

Hi'iaka is now equal in power to her sister and takes her place in the realm of the gods.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] At the end of the story, Hi‘iaka finds that she is as great a deity as great a goddess as her sister Pele who makes land.

And they're able to match each other's skill and each other's god-like qualities.

[Chanting in Hawaiian] O lightning brother flashing in the sky You flash upon the Earth.

The Earth trembles and is solid.

The great Earth belongs to Kane.

The redness of the fire trims the skirt of the goddess My beloved on who stands And leaps in the shadows My favorite is Hi‘iaka Raised here in my bosom!

[Chanting in Hawaiian] [Singing in Hawaiian] This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.