This myth is like a black cat crossing the road or a broken mirror all these things arent necessarily bad luck and theyre especially not true, Ferracane said. any media, no exception. So, although the legend itself is probably of 20th century origin, the removal of stones as souvenirs is now frowned upon by Hawaiians. Not only is it illegal to remove anything from a national park, its just plain unwise to mess with Pele, Hawaiis volcano goddess. If you can't afford to make a donation, don't worry about ityou may still send us your lava rocks. Legal Statement. But tourists just see something they like and take it with them. According to this superstition, Pele the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes curses anyone who removes lava rocks from the islands with severe misfortune. Here are some addresses for you to mail your items back to: Lava rocks taken from the Big Island of Hawaii should be returned to: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Packing a few lava rocks or a handful of sand for a remarkable keepsake is harmless, right? Peles Curse is the belief that anything natively Hawaiian, such as sand, rock, or pumice, will bring bad luck on whoever takes it away from Hawaii. However, this doesnt give you the license to pick rocks and sand from the islands at your pleasure. Writing about Hawai'i - past, present & future. Today, the current rangers are paying the price of the so-called curse because they have to deal with numerous rocks and pouches of sand sent back to the island to wipe off the curse. The legend is popular and powerful: remove a lava rock (or sand) from Hawaii and bad luck will follow. But if youre planning to take a souvenir from the Hawaiian Islands, you may benefit from getting acquainted with the tale. I mean, its just lying there. Peles curse can last for days, months, and even years after picking the lava rocks. Your lava rock(s) will be returned at a special location in Volcano close to the home of Pele, the Hawaiian Fire Goddess and Creator of Lava. Box 699, Volcano, HI 96785. ; deposits on collected driftwood, shells, or glass floats; and Nov 4, 2017. It was just the beginning of a spectacular show. Possession or extraction of any natural mineral is illegal and could cost you hefty fines. For rocks picked up on the island of Oahu, return to: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, P.O. 4 Is it bad to take rocks from the beach? We read up on Hawaii lore after we came home, Wade told HuffPost. (808)987-0920 Cell / Text Email Would $2,175 Do It? Karen Wade took a bottle of sand and a piece of washed-up coral home to Washington state after a family trip to Maui in 2007. The last thing you need is to go all the way back to Hawaii to return a rock. The end product is the lava rock. Your lava rocks will then be given to the The belief that Pele, the volcano goddess of the Big Island of Hawaii, brings bad luck to those who take lava prompts hundreds of people to flip rocks every year; we are very sorry. Visitors look at lava from Kilauea, an active volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, in 2016. MEDIA INFORMATION: To TV Production Companies, Newspaper Reporters, Magazine Editors, etc.. lava rock with Postal Service tracking, and that way you know when it WebReturning lava rocks to Hawaii is easy! Once By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. But the reason to respect the curse is greater than mere superstition. Others strongly believe the story is made up to protect the natural resources. volunteers. Lava Rock Return Photos II The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Its for this reason that many tourists are tempted to take a piece of the islands with them at home. Gallery & Artist Studio Designed by, INVERSORES! These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. It is illegal to take sand from Hawaii beaches, state Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman Deborah Ward said. After we read these letters and try to understand them, you realize that the bad luck is real for these [tourists], Uyetake told The Huffington Post. Phone ( Local / Int'l) 808-967-8617 "There is NO 'Curse of the Rocks,'" one rep wrote to colleagues. So again, send your * Hawaii-Guide.com is not a booking agent, accommodation provider, establishment, or tour operator.