(Only then may you rightfully proceed into the landscape.) I have visited Big island and Maui in Hawaii and loved its natural and pristine beauty! The sudden downpour of bad luck can continue for months, or even years, until the “stolen” items are returned to the island (and to Pele). tina marie | Mar 14, 2008 1:55PM. Packages returning rocks and sand, accompanied by letters telling of the misfortune and calamity they caused, flood Hawaiian mailboxes at a rate that would give pause to even the most skeptical among us. Please forgive me and I pray that once I send it back to where it came from my bad luck will go away.”. Well, if they start experiencing bad luck, they can send the rock back to Hawaii. You also can't taken any lava rock, coral etc. Nothing has happened to us. According to workers at Hawaii’s Hilo Post Office, ... “It often coincides with something people have read or heard on tabloid news about the myth of bad luck or a curse from Pelehonuamea, the Hawaiian volcano goddess. This is the first time I am hearing about this and your post is so informative, Brianne! Asking because I found out about this after I left one island and went to another but still have the sand. We come back more times to Honolulu but we don’t bring at home any more souvenirs. It is considered bad luck to take away rock from the beach. Money speaks volumes. As travelers we owe it to the Earth to preserve it – not hurt it! Racist stories from the 40s and 50s that ironically now some Hawaiians and … There will be nothing left if everyone takes a little. I don’t care if it’s real or coincidence but I’m not into it ???? According to the Division of Land and Natural Resources, taking small amounts of sand, dead coral, rocks or other marine deposits for personal, noncommercial use is allowed. We don’t believe to god o bad luck . Seriously. We was on Honolulu couple years ago and we bring at home some rocks and coral and that year was really bad for my family one of our daughter has bad accident and more bad things happen to us. Wow – this is so interesting. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. What if you take some sand from one island and leave it on another? I do believe in negative karma and I can totally agree you shouldn’t take sand or rocks from Hawaii – or anywhere in the world for that matter. Of course it isn’t really a gem at all, but rather a living sea creature. Here Are The 15 Worst Things You Can Possibly Do In Hawaii. However, what I do know is that the state of Hawaii receives 9 million visitors annually. Turn off your cell phones. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - For decades, visitor industry officials say tourists have been illegally taking pieces of Hawaii home with them -- in the form of rocks, sand, even coral. Lol. The objects returned include rocks, coral, plastic tiki, wood and bark. No worries, there's no superstition about bringing home beach coral from Hawaii. Whether or not you believe in bad luck, below are a few reasons why you may want to think twice before taking some sand (or rocks) home with you as a souvenir. Wow! TSA just confiscated some small black stones I was bringing back from Maui today. It may seem enticing to take a souvenir home from Hawaii. Some people have even sent sand and rock BACK to Hawaii that they had taken from the islands because bad luck hit them like a rock. And that’s hilarious that the Volcano Park gets so many letters like that, haha. Please do not take live coral or shells from the reef. I wish more people indulged in responsible tourism! haha, Wow this was such an interesting read. It's tempting to take home a small lava rock or a handful of black, green, red, or white sand, but don't do it. However, what I strongly feel about is preserving the environment and leaving no carbon foot print behind. ecology and conservation are a different issue from the luck. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hawaii is big on the preservation of natural resources. It is not like a truly reef-protected beach area. I know that taking sand is supposedly bad luck, but... Watch this Topic. so im from michigan, I went on a vacation with family from california when i was young, about 13. we went to Hawaii for my causins soccer tournament. Cutting yourself could result in a serious staph infection if it is not cleaned properly. Is it ok if I leave it on the beach before I leave? This is good to know – now there’s more of a reason to not take from a land that’s not yours! We took home some Lava (enclosed) for souvenirs. what about buying gifts online, are those also considered taking? The bad luck associated with Pele’s curse is more of the egregious variety: Pets dying (one of the more common reported calamities), relationships ending, loved ones suddenly falling ill, etc. I don't know if I believe in this superstition but our family has it rough. It's incredibly bad luck to take either from the island. But aside from the legalities, there is another BIG reason not to take it with you…LUCK! One of the most well-known myths in Hawaii is Pele's Curse, which -- it turns out -- is not an ancient myth at all. There are those who dispute whether this is actually a Hawaiian legend or whether it’s just a creative technique to keep people from taking lava rocks from the park (which is illegal), and the “legend” itself has even been attributed to a particular park historian. Sure I can blame everything that happens to me on the damn black sand. I took a rock on my honeymoon. I'm Brianne, the flight-risk writer behind Everyday Runaway. I’ve never heard of Pele’s curse, while no one knows if it’s true or not… I will definitely never take any sand for Hawaii. People imagine we have beaches strewn with shells, not understanding how beaten up shells get in their trip to the shore. Don't Take The Lava Rock Home With You. These things are considered to be unlucky and may cause the person bad luck. Yahoo is part of Verizon Media. You can search for shells year-round, but to … (As the saying goes, “Pele will either embrace you, or spit you out… and you will know if you are meant to be here or not soon after you arrive.”). The wiki article says it was fabricated but my aunt took a volcanic rock and she got a divorce, my cousin had a heart attack and my other cousin totaled her car and had to be hospitalized within a few months. According to Hawaiian mythology, Pele lives in the volcano on the Big Island and is an extremely vengeful being. Taking Lava Rocks and Sand Home With You. I’ve since divorced my soulmate with great regret. Quote; Share this post. The water near the beach is around 8 feet deep but deepens to around 25 feet around the point. Your email address will not be published. "According to legend, if you take something from the ocean, it brings bad luck" No it doesn't nor does taking lava rocks etc. For this reason, the building of structures on the island (Heiaus and such), were undertaken by specialists in that field, and Kahunas (or priests) who knew the correct protocol to remove and use only certain types of rocks. I’d never had of this before so I feel lucky to have read this post. Pele’s Curse Pele is the goddess of fire and volcanos who, according to legend, resides in the crater of Kilauea on Hawaii Island (which, today, is Hawaii Volcano National Park). Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources allows you to collect seashells for personal use but not for resale. Everyday Runaway is a travel (and wine, and food, and lifestyle) blog aimed at inspiring a community of "runaways" to escape the monotony of everyday life through travel and quality experiences. Return Lava Rock to Hawaii! 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