Is It Legal to Take Lava Rocks from Hawaii

Maria Zakharova: I`m sorry to hear about your bad luck since you visited Hawaii. It doesn`t seem that anything from Hawaii is the cause. I will say a little prayer for you, hoping that the karma will dissipate. Q: We were in Oahu almost a year ago; I can`t begin to describe the terrible luck we`ve had over the last 10 months. If we brought home something we shouldn`t have, it was accidental, and none of us know it. If this is the source of our terrible happiness, is there a way to reverse Hawaii`s curse without knowing what was the object we accidentally took? So if you have a lava rock that you want to bring back, know that you are not alone. Thousands of pounds of lava rock are returned to the Hawaiian Islands each year. Question: If I removed black sand from the beach, should I return it or could I throw it here on the beach so it can find its way back to Hawaii? But in addition to being illegal, legend has it that taking volcanic rock from Hawaii is bad luck. Question: What happens if you ask permission and leave Pele the victim? When I went to Haleakala, I did so after meditating and paying homage to Pele. I asked several times if there was no negative feeling, it happened several times. The lava rock was on my altar and I felt their presence in the good sense of my life.

I didn`t know there was a curse until I wanted to know more about Pele! What must I do? Question: We went to the black sand beach of Hana, Maui and without my knowledge, sand got into my shoe as I passed. The waves wet my shoes and when I brought the shoes back, I noticed the sand inside. It`s a very small bag. I don`t know if that`s the reason for my bad luck. I didn`t take it on purpose. Do I have to return it? Finally, the answer to the question you asked yourself is: can you take corals from Hawaii? To make it short and simple, the answer is no. Q: We bought a house in Oahu, and I have a ton of lava rock in the landscaping. Is it acceptable to give to others on the island? I don`t want it, and I don`t know what to do with it. Question: My grandmother took lava from Hawaii. Since then, we`ve all been unlucky and she doesn`t know where they are. Is there a way to get rid of the curse without them? Question: I took sand in Hawaii in 2009. My current ex-wife threw it away.

I just found leftovers of it and carefully opened it and put it in a bottle. If I return what I have, will it remove the curse? Question: I took red and black sand from our trip to Haha for a vacation box. Do I have to return the sand? I`d like to address some of your concerns for you, including, can I bring back corals from Hawaii? So if someone «steals» the stones or sand, they should expect Pele to take revenge on them. And her anger, like the anger of a despised woman, is not child`s play. We`re not talking about breaking a nail or losing your favorite pair of socks. Question: In 1998, I took white coral stones to Oahu. I recently found them. At the time, I didn`t realize that this could not be wise. Do I also have to return the coral stones? I haven`t had any bad luck in the last 20 years. At least. Nor could a person experience it if they lived their life for two decades. But something inside tells me that it no longer has a place in my house.

For people who feel guilty about catching a rock or taking a bottle of sand, you can return these items by sending them to the park from which you took them. However, this does not undo the wrong action, as the item will never be in its original place. If that`s not enough to discourage you, legend has it that stealing volcanic rock in Hawaii will bring you bad luck for the rest of your life. Melted lava pouring into the ocean off the southeast coast of the Big Island. Legend also says that if you take any of the natural minerals such as lava rock, sand or earth from where Pele placed it, she will curse you and bring you bad luck and misfortune shortly after removing what she thinks is hers from the island. If you knowingly remove even the smallest stone, you can enter the hot lava with Pele. While many people believe this is superstition, Hawaii receives many packets of lava rock brought back from tourists who claim to have bad luck since they own the rock. It is believed that returning what belongs to Pele is the only way to break the curse. Question: I am 20 years old. In college, I think I brought something back from a beach when I visited Maui. But I didn`t know anything about the Pele curse. I heard about Pele`s curse recently, but I don`t remember what I brought back from Hawaii.

Someone told me that I had bad luck because of this. But if I didn`t know the curse and didn`t bring back many things, should I be okay? Question: Would it be acceptable to take a lava rock from Hawaii if I intend to make it some kind of artwork or a small portable souvenir? It would be quite small and the artwork, would it be disrespectful? Even though the rocks and sand don`t come from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the state`s Department of Land and Natural Resources said it`s also illegal to take sand and rocks on a public beach. Answer: Maybe your losing streak had nothing to do with lava rocks. Since your grandmother doesn`t know where the stones are, the best thing you can do to restore balance in your life is to do casual kindness for someone else. And if you know someone who is going to visit Hawaii, tell them not to take lava rocks and leave them where they see them. Removing things from national parks is illegal, so it`s illegal to take volcanic rock from Hawaii`s volcanoes. Most people report that their losing streak ended after returning the stolen items to the island (and Pele). However, Hawaiian postmasters report that they receive all sorts of things in the mail.

While the majority of people return Pele`s hair and tears (the long, hardened strands of larvae that form rocks), some people send objects that are not Hawaiian. She explained to the boy why he shouldn`t take him home. And a few minutes later, the boy and his family brought back several large lava rocks and two bags and black sand they had in their carry-on luggage. Honeygirl said it`s very inappropriate to take rocks from Hawaii`s national parks, and with summer tourists, booking their trips, it`s a good time to remind them of this. If you`re not usually superstitious, you may question the validity of Pele`s curse. So, is this a myth or the true wrath of an angry goddess? Like most myths, the origins of Pele`s curse are rare. Scholars testify that the legend has little to do with the Hawaiian religion. However, there is some speculation about how the myth came about. These include: Answer: Sand from beaches in the State of Hawaii can be sent to the following address: As with shells, the removal of Hawaiian stones in small quantities for personal use by the Department of Lands and Natural Resources is permitted. Hawaiian culture is one of many superstitions and legends. One of them is the legend of Pele. Pele, the goddess of fire, is known for her fiery temperament and powerful personality.

There are many legends of Pele depicting love fights, epic sibling fights, and the journey from his hometown of Tahiti to the Hawaiian Islands. You can read about some of them here. If you`ve never heard of Pele, you`ll probably learn more about her during your visit to Hawaii. Coral reefs can be very similar to rocks, but they are actually living, breathing creatures, just like you and me. Answer: This article does not say that there is a curse associated with lava rock, but that there is a legend about it. It`s always a good thing to bring lava rocks back to where they formed. For most of us, a clear conscience relieves us. I think it will probably work for you too. Any responsible tourist will strive to preserve the heritage and beliefs of the resident. As mentioned earlier, Hawaiian history does not report anything about Pele`s curse. For this reason, most Hawaiians believe that the curse is a myth created by rangers to protect rocks from theft.

However, this does not give you the permit to collect rocks and sand on the islands at will. «We are actively educating park visitors to show them that it is both culturally inappropriate and illegal to remove stones from Haleakalā National Park (36 CFR 2.1) and other sites in the national park.» Answer: If there was a curse, it should be on the person who dismembered the lava to represent a Japanese god. But tell your wife that it doesn`t matter. No one knows the origins of this legend of bad luck. Some people say that rangers at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park began this legend decades ago to prevent people from picking up and taking away lava rocks. The rangers, of course, deny this. Others attribute the legend to the fact that the indigenous religion of Hawaii worships Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, who is said to have traveled from the South Pacific to participate in the creation of the island chain. Believers say Pele is at home at Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, where the last volcanic eruption occurred in 2018. Hot lava flowed for three months, destroying more than 700 homes and 14 square miles of land. A: This Honolulu office is responsible for the state`s beaches.

Sand from Hawaii`s beaches can be sent to: Division of State Parks, P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809. They will try to bring it back to the home island when you tell them where you got the sand from.