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KeOlaMagazine.com | January/February 2013
life the ‘other woman,’ the One, Pele-honua-mea, Pele of the Sacred Land. At one point, Herb, a quiet man, stepped back, and MaryAnn could sense he was looking for something more. She watched as he held a mound of clay and walked off into the distance at Hōnaunau, deep into the sacredness of the ‘āina. When Herb returned, he brought a clay impression of the lava flow, with just the right depth and curvature; this was Pele’s hair. The sweeping richness of lava-like waves cascaded down and around Pele’s body, encircling her in the black opulence representative of her cherished island. Their collaboration continued, now moving in the direction of Pele’s face. From the coarse indentations of the hair, to the silken, smooth aspect of delicate Pele. The most beautiful face emerged. It was the softer side of Pele, the one who holds the compassion and love, the insightful beauty and guardian of Hawai‘i Island. Something extraordinary was happening, another transformation was being shown to the artists, the ones chosen to bring Pele into three-dimensional form. Herb stepped back and quietly shook his head; what was it? What was being asked of him? And the message came, quickly and with clarity, it was her eyes, Pele’s eyes, they needed to be closed. In this moment, a moment of intuitive reflection, there was a birth. The revelation was a new Pele, pensive and peaceful: a contemplative goddess, softly lowering her top lid to her bottom lid, beckoning viewers to come inside her welcoming energy. MaryAnn continued to sculpt and create the form of “Pele Dreaming,” bringing forth the fiery flames and the Goddess’ crown of lehua blossoms—the flower of Hawai‘i Island and most associated with Pele. MaryAnn noted that Herb was a taskmaster for details. He would give MaryAnn all the intricate work to recreate his vision, which was now their combined creation. In molding Pele’s hand into just the right position and angle to hold the Earth’s flame, MaryAnn became the model for that piece of the relief. Ever so graceful and still, MaryAnn was now an extension of this figure. Pele was near completion and as MaryAnn commented, “it seemed like magic when it was finished. Everything flowed as if time stood still for all of this work to be done.” Through all the talk stories, the chicken-skin moments, the silence and deliberation, Pele seemed to guide Herb and MaryAnn into bringing Pele’s new form to life. In our time together, MaryAnn unveiled a mold of the relief, an empty vessel awaiting the contents of its structure. A bluegreen imprint, lying prone on the work table, a life-sized portrait of the Goddess’ face looked back at us. Peering into the shape, hovering ever so carefully above her, one could get lost in the mystery of Pele. Here she was, presenting herself as if to say, “know me from the inside out.” Her closed eyes appeared open in this negative relief form, releasing a communication that she sees all, whether internal or external, her power is present and her love for her land and people is unconditional. While there is one master mold, the one that held the energy of this experience, Herb gave MaryAnn the rights to make additional molds and produce ❁Continued on page 28
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