Title: Legend of Pele as the old woman
General Information about the item:
- Genre and sub genre: Customary and Verbal folklore: superstition
- Language: Hawaiian/English
- Country: USA
Informant data:
- Ku’ulei Jung ‘21 from Honolulu, O’ahu. Born in Hawaii and grew up there until coming to Dartmouth.
Contextual data:
- Social context: It is socially encouraged to show respect and kindness to the elderly.
- Cultural context: It is important to show respect for a goddess. Because she takes several forms, people watch out for an old Hawaiian woman in case she may be Pele in disguise. She is a petty goddess and if you do not show her respect you will have bad luck, but she will favor you if you give her offerings.
Item:
- It is said that the fire goddess, Pele, shape shifted into an old woman and was never seen again. So if you are walking the streets of Hawaii and see an old Hawaiian woman, you should give her either food or a drink, because if it is Pele she will grant you a life of good luck.
Collector: Adrease Jackson
