S3·E43 Curse of the Goddess Pele

Hawaii emerged steaming from the sea millennia ago, the product of thousands of years of continual volcanic eruptions that finally broke the sea's surface and gave birth to a tropical paradise famed the world over. Since the very first people settled here, they have revered and feared the volcanoes, and tried to appease their mistress, the fickle goddess Pele. She is one of the most captivating, capricious and enduring of all pagan deities. Even today, her name and power are taken seriously by many Hawaiians, whose lives are subject to the whims of the volcanoes she is said to control. The Curse of the Goddess Pele is a fascinating look at this enigmatic figure. Experts in Hawaiian history and legends trace her origins, and explore the possibility that there is a real person at the heart of this enduring belief. Ancient tales and art help bring her story to life, while footage of modern Hawaiian ceremonies show the very real role Pele continues to play in the islands today.