VOLCANOS or VOLCANOES

Our theme for January 2022 is Volcanos

First off, if you ever wondered what the correct spelling of the plural form of volcano is, both “volcanos” and “volcanoes” are considered correct. Who makes these rules?

Lua Pele

In ‘ōlelo Hawai’i the word for “volcano” is “lua pele.” Pele with a capital P is of course the great goddess of volcanoes. The word “pele” with a lowercase p is used when referring to lava or other volcanic words. “Lua” means pit or crater, thus “lua pele” literally translates as volcanic crater. 

There are five volcanos that make up Big Island: Kohola, Hualālai, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and of course the currently erupting Kīlauea. Big Island is the youngest of the islands, and the only one with active volcanoes.

Why? This is because all of the Hawaiian Islands were formed from the same volcanic hotspot, which is the source of magma below the Earth's crust. As the tectonic plates shift westward (at about the rate your fingernails grow), the islands move but the hotspot stays in the same place. Eventually Big Island volcanoes will become extinct as the island shifts past the hotspot, and a new island with active volcanoes will emerge. This process already began approximately 400,000 years ago, with the eruption of Lōʻihi, about 35km Southeast of Hawai'i Island. It is expected to emerge from the ocean surface in the next 100,000 years.

Big Island Volcano Brands and Products

We have a spicy collection of products this month that will warm both your mouth and your soul:

• Puna Chocolate Company is back in the box with their Kilauea Volcano style bar, made with cacao nibs and aleppo pepper. The 70% dark chocolate bar presents the decadent chocolate first before hitting you with a gentle wave of heat and spices, not unlike the warm and slow oozings of lava from Kilauea. 
• A Volcano gift box would not be complete without some real fire, so we have included a Volcano candle from Paper Crane Soaps. These black candles are 100% soy wax with braided cotton wicks, and have notes of citrus swirled with activated charcoal.
• A jar of Hawaiian Chili Pepper Jelly from Kilauea Gifts, located at Kilauea General Store in Volcano Village, right across from Hawai’i Volcanos National Park. Made with cane sugar and Hawaiian chili peppers, this jelly is often served with cream cheese and crackers, or can be used as a glaze or marinade for chicken wings or pork tenderloin. 

• To cool down from all the fire we have also included a bottle of volcanic water from Waiākea, the source of which is rainfall filtered through thousands of feet of volcanic rock and accumulating in a deep water well off the Eastern slopes of Mauna Loa.
• A jar of Guava Smoked Sea Salt by Hawaiian Volcano Sea Salt. The invasive guava tree grows rampant over much of Hawai’i, and is especially destructive in the Volcano region where it chokes out native forest species like the ‘Ohi’a Lehua. Hawaiian Volcano Sea Salt uses this wood to cold smoke natural Kona sea salt for several hours, giving it a beautiful caramel brown color and infusing it with a toasty earthy sweetness.
• A graphic art card from Smart Shark Designs featuring the Kilauea eruption is also included. One of our favorite artists on the island, we have featured illustrations by owner Martin Sanchez in previous boxes. His vibrant colors and signature style really capture the Big Island vibes, and he recently opened his own gallery in Honoka’a! Check out the website to see more of his beautiful work.

• Finally, we are honored to include a postcard featuring "Pele's Voyage," the work of renowned artist and historian Herb Kawainui Kāne, a principal figure of the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970’s. This card depicts Pele's voyage from Polynesia to Hawai'i, with her brother Kamohoaliʻi guiding her in the form of a great shark, and holding her little sister Hiʻiaka as an egg in her arm. This card is available at the gift shop inside Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park operated by Hawai’i Pacific Parks Association, and at Kane Art Sales along with prints and other products with officially licensed Herb Kane work. 

Big Island Box is proud to support our national parks, and also officially licensed Herb Kane artwork. Mahalo for supporting them with us!

You can get your Volcano theme Big Island gift box throughout the rest of January here in our online store. Use promo code ALOHA10 if this is your first order, and save $10! If you don't want to subscribe and just want a single box, those are also available for a higher price. But at Big Island Box you can subscribe now and cancel anytime!

Send some aloha today.