In Hawaiian mythology, what is the name of the volcano considered the home of Pele?

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In Hawaiian mythology, Kīlauea is the volcano considered the home of Pele.

Pele is the Hawaiian goddess associated with fire, volcanic activity and the creation of land. Her sacred home is more precisely identified as Halemaʻumaʻu, a volcanic fire pit within Kīlauea’s summit caldera on Hawaiʻi Island. Thus Kīlauea is the correct volcano-level answer, while Halemaʻumaʻu is the specific feature often named in fuller accounts.

Traditional stories describe Pele travelling through the Hawaiian Islands while searching for a permanent place to kindle her fires. She ultimately established herself at Kīlauea, where her presence is linked to lava flows, eruptions and the continuing reshaping of the island.

Kīlauea is one of Earth’s most active volcanoes. Its name is commonly translated as “spewing” or “much spreading.” Mauna Loa is another volcano on Hawaiʻi Island, but it is not Pele’s canonical home in this question; Haleakalā and Mauna Kea belong to other islands or traditions.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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