Sterling silver, 18k gold, hand-carved ivory from recycled piano keys, sunrise jasper, and hesonite garnets.
Price: $930
"We descended into the crater. Pele revealed herself in robes of awful majesty. O goddess of Hawaiian Lore, enshrouded in the mysteries of eternity, who may know the secrets of thy heart? What scientist may wrest from thy creation or know from whence thou art?" ~Edward Smith, 1885
Of all the world's Goddesses, Pele is one of the few still living in the belief of her people, not as a metaphor, but as a metaphysical reality, to whom offerings are still made when volcanic eruptions threaten Hawaiian town. Called Ka wahine 'ai honua or the woman who devours the land, Pele is both creatress and destroyer. She throws molten fountains into the air, governs the great flows of lava, and is the goddess of fire, lightning, dance, and volcanoes.
When her molten body moves, the land trembles and the sky is afire with a crimson glow. Those present whisper in awe, "`Ae aia la `o Pele; there is Pele." Pele's tears hide in the cinder outfall at Pu`u Pua`i; her golden hair sparkles between the rope folds of pahoehoe lava. Stories tell of her presence around the Ki¯lauea Volcano and Halema'uma'u Crater in the form of Pele's tears (tear-shaped lava droplets), Pele's hair (babyfine golden strands of volcanic glass), and limu o Pele (thin sheets or flakes of volcanic glass).
Pele is also known for her common visits among mortals. She is said to appear either as a beautiful young woman, a white dog with red eyes, or a very old woman who askes for food or drink. Those who show kindness are rewarded and spared. Those who are cruel or disrespectful are punished by way of having their homes or crops destroyed. When enraged she may appear as a woman all aflame or as pure flame. Like a volcano's lava that creates new land, the goddess Pele reminds us that, even fiery eruptions and emotional upheavals are followed by new life and change
On the front of the pendant, Pele fixes the viewer with her steady eyes. Two hibiscus flowers, the emblem of Hawaii, adorn her silvery hair. On the back, the patterning of the jasper brings to mind an erupting volcano and flowing lava.
Kelly Morgen
Kelly uses a variety of precious metals, natural cabochons, gemstones, and ivory from recycled piano keys to create necklaces that celebrate the Divine Feminine. Each piece of her jewelry is designed by the artist and is completely hand-crafted. The goddess necklaces tell a story chosen from mythologies from around the world, ranging from the oceans of the Caribbean to the mountains of China. As an artist, Kelly Morgen aims to draw out the inner goddess in every woman. [more]
