by Kuhi Leong
Papenoʻo, Tahiti
After traveling 2,627 miles from Hawaiʻi to Tahiti, it is finally Monday, July 1st. As we travel these unknown lands, I feel a familiar presence, one undisturbed by my inexperience. To uphold the beauty of this valley: I tread lightly, leaving nothing but a ghostly presence. Today, we return to Papeno’o, the birthplace of Pele. Awaken by the fiery sun emerging from the horizon, we prepare for the long journey ahead. It begins with a long drive up the valley of Haururu, the home of the highest mountains of Tahiti. As we drive through the potholes and undeveloped road, I gaze upon the formidable landscape and I am reminded of home. I am surrounded by the green embrace of familiar plants. The vibrant Hau catches my eye; a striking yellow, brighter than a diamond. Papeno’o is organized amongst three levels, Te Papa i raro: from Puraha to the place called Pufau, Te papa i nià: from Pufau to the Tahinu dam. As we forge ahead, towards the village of Fare Hape I remember our purpose and goal to continue to uphold a legacy of voyaging, guided by the spirit that embodies this land and our waters.
A spirit so powerful she transcends the limitations of time. One who travels across the tumultuous sea to share the knowledge that bounds us to our earthly existence. This deity is infamous throughout time, existing in many forms to build the foundations of our cosmological genealogy. The connections are buried within these stories, unearthing the inherent interconnectedness of these waters. Time is unmoving and unchanged, charging forward with no hesitation. As we continue towards the marae, the second level, on Tefaahuhu land, I hear Pele calling out to me, beyond these worldly chains. Upon arrival to the lush valley, I recall the oli in honor of Pele.
Mai Kahiki ka wahine, o Pele,
Mai ka aina i Polapola,
Mai ka punohu ula a Kane,
Mai ke ao lalapa i ka lani,
Mai ka opua lapa i Kahiki.
Lapaku i Hawaii ka wahine, o Pele;
Kalai i ka wa’a Hounaiakea,
Kou wa’a, e Kamohoalii.
I apo’a ka moku i pa’a;
Ua hoa ka wa’a o ke Akua,
Ka wa’a o Kanekalaihonua.
Holo mai ke au, a’ea’e Pelehonuamea;
A’ea’e ka Lani, aipuni’a i ka moku;
A’ea’e Kini o ke Akua,
Noho a’e o Malau.
Ua ka ia ka liu o ka wa’a.
Ia wai ka hope, ka uli o ka wa’a, e ne hoa ’lii?
Ia Pelehonuamea.
A’ea’e kai hoe oluna o ka wa’a.
O Ku ma, laua o Lono,
Noho i ka honua aina,
Kau aku i hoolewa moku.
Hiiaka, noiau, he akua,
Ku ae, hele a noho i ka hale o Pele.
Huahua’i Kahiki, lapa uila, e Pele.
E hua’i, e!
The wind rushes through my body; a chilling greeting from the land. I feel the remnants of a time long forgotten. The energy swells beneath my feet as it carries me through the if I am retracing my steps. As the ground is lost beneath my feet, I reminisce about a life I never lived. An entire lifetime of memories that do not belong to me rushes through my mind. I begin to recall this chant for Pele.
Exploring the Vaitūòru is surreal. The waterfall spills over the paved road and I am greeted by the waters that rise and swell as we pass the Ua mimi o Teùra Vahine. The sound of the rushing waters and the climbing altitude triggers a ringing in my ears. I am not afraid, I am steadfast. Embracing the call of Teùra Vahine, Pere, Pele, the goddess of creation and destruction.
Kalai i ka wa’a Hounaiakea, She carved the canoe, Honuaiakea
Kou wa’a, e Kamohoalii, Your canoe, o Kamohoaliʻi
The woman from Kahiki, the Teùra Vahine of Fare Hape, the pele of Kilauea: all interconnected through this shared story. Time is unbound to a singular story; instead, emerging through the springs, cascading down mountains, caught in grains of sand, and migrating across the sea. Unalone and unafraid, Pele ventures away from her birth grounds. Alongside her family, she navigates the raging, unapologetic waters to bring life to new lands. Energy surges through my hands as the river of Vaitūòru dances across my palms. When we arrived at the marae, my breath was stolen. In preparation of ho’okupu I hold the hands of my ancestors to share this space with them. I maintain a space for Pele, as her vessel of time, bringing my past into this future.
Mai ke ao lalapa i ka lani, Cloud blazing in the heavens
Mai ka opua lapa i Kahiki, Fiery cloud-pile in Kahiki
We finally arrived at Fare Hape, the house of the caterpillar. After voyaging across the sea and trekking up the mountains we are greeted by the firm embrace of the pouring rains. The heavy footsteps of the rain washes away the fear in bones, instilled by our colonial oppressors. We reach the highest level and as the rain bids us farewell we visit the many hale of Fare Hape. The kupuna of Haururu reminds me of Hawaiʻi. With every moʻolelo and every mele they share, I feel my heart swell with excitement. Fare Hape is a community, a school, an interconnectedness that binds us across the ocean. To end our day we honor Pere at the birthing stone, Opurei-a-Pere. We gift our beloved goddess with the water of Kāmehaʻikana and paʻakai from Hawaiʻi. The water illuminates the petroglyphs upon the stone, illustrating the birth of Pere. As we finish our final oli, the chant completes our day.
Huahua’i Kahiki, lapa uila, e Pele,
Lo, an eruption in Kahiki! A flashing of lightning, O Pele!
E hua’i, e!
Belch forth. O Pele!
I find comfort in the cold winds of the night. After the sun retires for bed and the moon prepares to light up the night sky, a voice echoes throughout the valley. The sound of rushing water drowns out the echoes into a mere whisper. I hear a familiar name, a place an ocean away. I can imagine the night Pele arrived in this earthly realm. In the darkness of night, the silence rings across the valley. The sky father is violent and demanding, the earth mother is calm and fierce. The passion lights up the sky, sharing starlight across the emptiness of the universe. As the valley widens, the clouds swirl in tight coils and the wind slices through the air. Preparing for the arrival of the fiery goddess, the earth engulfs the valley with a red sea, scaring the land black. As the smoke rises off the scorched valley, time begins for Pele. In the valley of Haururu, Pele is born into a metaphysical existence, pele sinks into the soil and cycles the nutrients, preparing for new life.
