How Hawaiis Volcanoes Affect Hawaiis Culture

By Kaitlin Kelsch
Just one look at the islands of Hawaii and you can easily see why they could be considered
paradise. Indeed, Hawaiis exquisite beaches, diverse ocean life, and lush tropical forests are among the
many things which set the islands of Hawaii apart from all the rest. But Hawaii is also known for two
other standout qualities:

its distinctive volcanic features and the unique culture of the Ancient

Hawaiians that continues to be prevalent in the lives of Hawaiis citizens even centuries afterward.
What if I were to tell you these two seemingly separated events actually have a closer relationship with
each other than you may think? Although you may not immediately see, the volcanos of Hawaii have
been shaping the lives of those who live there for a very long time, starting from the moment that the
first Hawaiians came ashore. Moreover, the various ways in which these volcanoes have affected
Hawaiis residents have changed as new technologies have been invented and as Hawaiis culture has
evolved. This paper is designed to highlight just some of the ways that volcanos affect Hawaiis culture
in both historic and contemporary times.
For example, despite the common image of destruction you might think of when you think of
volcanos, current and historic eruptions of Hawaiis volcanos have actually helped the islands to become
very diverse in both flora and fauna. As the lava flows from a volcano cool and harden, chemical
elements such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous, that come from gasses trapped within volcanic
rock are spread throughout the surrounding soil in processes such as weathering and erosion. These
chemical elements are extremely beneficial to the local flora and, combined with the heavy rains of
Hawaiis climate, these plants will grow up to be strong and healthy and will survive to an age where
they can then begin to produce fruit (Soils from Volcanoes). Volcanos also promote biodiversity because
the environments in which volcanos are found change quickly and suddenly. According to the principle

of evolution, those species that have the best traits that will help them adapt to a certain change in their
environment will be more likely to survive into adulthood and will then pass their genes onto their
offspring. Thus, the species that end up surviving volcanic eruptions are those who are able to adapt to
many different conditions because they have lots of unique traits (Frizell-Armitage, Amelia). All of this
not only contributes to Hawaiis abundant natural resources and one-of-a-kind forests, but, because the
parts of an ecosystem are all interconnected in a web, the large amount of resources available to the
Hawaiians is most likely why they were able to thrive in relative isolation for so many years. You can
then say that without Hawaiis volcanos, the Hawaiian people would not have survived as well as they
did and we would not be able to enjoy Hawaiis culture today.
But the volcanos of Hawaii have affected its people in more direct ways, as well. Take, for
instance, the myths regarding Pele, the goddess of fire in Hawaiian religion. The mother of Papa, or
Earth Mother, and Wakea, Sky Father, Pele apparently had had a large family with many siblings. In a
manner that is apropos, she had a very fiery temper fueled by jealously and sometimes lust. For
example, in one version of a myth that tells of the creation of the Hawaiian islands, Pele was
pursuedby her angry older sister, Na-maka-o-kahai (goddess of water and the sea) because Pele had
seduced her husband. Pele fled to escape her sisters wrath and came across the island of Kauai,
where she attempted to make a new home for herself by digging a volcanic pit with her digging stick.
But her sister quickly caught up to her and flooded the pit, causing Pele to move on to the next Hawaiian
island, Oahu. She hopped from one Hawaiian Island to the next in the order of their geologic
formation until she found Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Not even her sister could send waves
high enough to reach up the slopes and so Pele decided to permanently make her home there, turning
the mountain into a volcano (Fullard-Leo, Betty). This myth reveals two important things that relate to
the culture of Hawaii. First, Ancient Hawaiians could see the destructive power of volcanos and thus,
because volcanos were sure to affect their daily lives, this was personified in the goddess Pele. Second,

Hawaiians knew that the Hawaiian island chain was created by a volcanic hot spot and also knew that
the soils on Kauai were older than the soils on the Big Island ("Hotspots:" Mantle Thermal Plumes.").
They then incorporated this information into the myth of Pele in order to explain just how this
phenomenon occurred.
Also, just as ancient Hawaiians most likely made adjustments to deal with the volcano threat,
the citizens of Hawaii today must keep making adjustments, as well. The difference, however, is that as
the culture of Hawaii has evolved and as new technologies have been developed, the citizens of Hawaii
are much better equipped to deal with the hazards associated with volcanos than the people of the
past. Evacuations can ordered move people out of the way of lava flows (the volcanos of Hawaii dont
so much explode as they do ooze), sensors can measure earthquake activity (one of the precursors to a
possible volcanic eruption), and thermal imaging can tell us if the rock surrounding the volcano is
heating up. However, as a recent lava flow in Pahoa, Hawaii that is still happening as of December 3rd,
2014 shows (Botelho, Greg, and Savidge, Martin), the hazards that are associated with volcanos, such as
lava flows, gas emissions, and ground cracks (Volcanic Hazards) can still pose big risks to those who live
near Hawaiis volcanos and can even cause the residents to change their daily lives in response to it. For
instance, a website called hiloliving.org suggests that at least some residents of the town of Hilo, Hawaii
have started to collect supplies in response to a large amount of vog that has plagued the area, such as
sulfur dioxide detectors, gas masks, carbon-based Hepa air filters, and emergency preparedness kits in
the case of an earthquake. They also closely watch the volcano and listen to any sort of warnings that
may be put out by the government of Hawaii. Since the consequences of ignoring the warning signs of a
volcano warning can be great, it is probably wise that they do so.
Even the culture of those who are just visiting the Hawaiian Islands can be temporarily changed.
For instance, according to an article entitled Danger in Paradise: The Hidden Hazards of Volcano
Geotourism from Earth Magazine, In November of 2000, the rangers at Hawaii Volcanoes National

Park made a gruesome discovery. The bodies of a man and a woman, in an advanced state of
decomposition, were found100 meters inland from [an area called] the Eruption site, an area where
lava flows drop into the sea and release huge quantities of gas. An autopsy of these bodies two days
later revealed, unsurprisingly, that they were killed by a pulmonary edema, or swelling of the lungs,
due to the inhalation of hydrochloric acid. This article then goes on to say that while the volcanos of
Hawaii attract many tourists each year and help to boost Hawaiis economy, these same tourists may
especially be at risk of being harmed by a volcanic hazard simply because they are not educated enough
about the possible dangers. For example, a lava flow may look pretty and it may be something that you
will only experience only once in a lifetime, but if you stay in its path for too long, you could possibly end
up being burned alive and charred to death. The article recommends that stricter standards should be
put in place to protect the tourists who visit and that anyone who wants to visit a volcano should only
do so if they are led by a knowledgeable guide. I would also personally recommend that those who plan
to hike up the summit of Mauna Kea, for example, should research the current conditions of the volcano
and should also research how to protect yourself and keep yourself safe in the event that you come
across a volcanic hazard (you can find some possible safety tips from the National Park service at
http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/yoursafety). In addition, if you are visiting a National Park, it is
ALWAYS a good idea to pay attention to the various rules in place and to listen to the park rangers and
guides (you can find some safety suggestions as to how to be. Failure to do so could quite possibly be
fatal, so please, if your guide says to avoid the steam vents that you come across, AVOID THEM AT ALL
COSTS, even though you may not immediately understand the reasoning behind it and even though it
may be tempting to get closer and snap a photo of it.
These are all but just a few of the ways that these magnificent masterpieces of nature have
made cultural contributions to its citizens. If you take into account all of the artistic pieces that have
been made over the years, such as music, dancing, stories, and carvings, the list can become

overwhelmingly long. But no matter how many items may be on the list, you can take comfort in the
fact that volcanoes will continue to contribute culturally and aesthetically to Hawaiis achievements; as
long as the things which make Hawaii special continue to attract people from all walks of life, Hawaii will
always be considered a heaven on earth.

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