Is there a Curse for Disparaging the name of Pele

I have a friend who told me that I shouldn't name my new cocktail Pele's Fire because of the curse. I bit and asked what curse.

FACT: He's a known sh!t disturber and not a tikiphile.

It wouldn't be uncommon for him to be pulling my leg. He started with the episode of the Brady bunch where they got into some shenanigans over something similar. The Brady's didn't come up with a cocktail but whatever they did was hilarious by early 70's standards.

This has me concerned about naming my new cocktail with something that's going to get me in trouble with a curse from Pele. I did a google search on it and the only thing that I can come up with is if you take some lava or rock.

Anybody else hear of this? Am I safe in calling my new cocktail what I want?

Eric

Personal Goal:
I'm working toards the need for a liver transplant.

[ Edited by: Savage Tiki 2011-02-08 00:31 ]

[ Edited by: Savage Tiki 2011-02-08 00:40 ]

On 2011-02-07 20:09, Savage Tiki wrote:

FACT: He's ... not a tiki-file.

Good God, man. It's a good think, else he would be in Sven's 3x5 card box.

On 2011-02-07 20:34, telescopes wrote:

On 2011-02-07 20:09, Savage Tiki wrote:

FACT: He's ... not a tiki-file.

Good God, man. It's a good think, else he would be in Sven's 3x5 card box.

Sorry, I can't spell my way out of a paper bag. Tikiphile isn't in my spell check. I hope that doesn't earn me a spot in Sven's 3x5 box.

Back to my original question is there anything wrong with naming a drink after the Goddess of hotness known as Pele?
[ Edited by: Savage Tiki 2011-02-08 00:41 ]

[ Edited by: Savage Tiki 2011-02-08 00:47 ]

Not to make this thread a drink recipe thread, but try this link:

http://www.chow.com/recipes/28178-wisdom-of-pele

The only curse one would have is using bad syrups and off-brand rums.
If there is a curse, many have already befallen it:

Wisdom of Pelé Recipe
Wisdom of Pelé
Difficulty: Easy

TIME/SERVINGS

Total: 10 mins

Active: 10 mins

Makes: 1 drink

Adapted from Blair Reynolds

Portland, Oregon-based tiki bartender Blair Reynolds considers this drink one of his classic creations. It plays with many of the original tiki cocktail flavors: cinnamon, honey, grapefruit, lime, and, of course, copious amounts of rum. Sip carefully; this is a serious drink.

What to buy: You can use any high-quality commercial cinnamon syrup, or infuse your own.

Falernum is a clove- and lime-infused liqueur and can be purchased at most liquor stores; a popular brand is John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum. If you can’t find falernum, try making your own. We think this recipe is a great stand-in.

The Wisdom of Pelé recipe was featured as part of our Tiki Cocktails photo gallery.
INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 teaspoons orange blossom honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons hot water
• 3/4 cup crushed ice
• 1 ounce 151-proof Lemon Hart Demerara rum
• 1 ounce dark Jamaican rum, such as Coruba
• 1 ounce light Virgin Islands rum, such as Cruzan
• 1/2 ounce aged Martinique rum, such as St. James Extra Old
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• 3/4 ounce falernum
• 1/4 ounce Cinnamon Syrup
• 2 dashes aromatic bitters, such as angostura or Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged
• 1/4 ounce Navan vanilla liqueur

[ Edited by: telescopes 2011-02-08 06:40 ]

If there was a curse associated with naming a drink, bar, or restaurant after a tiki god then the entire tiki culture would be cursed and in ruins and on the verge of destruc. . . oh wait.

Only 2 curse around Pele I've ever heard are 1) Don't take any lava rocks off site. 2) Either nobody or only certain people are permited to dance the chant "Aia La O Pele."

Thank you my Tiki Brethren,

As I suspected my friend was full of it and this confirms it.

I will move forward with naming my new drink "Pele's Fire" without any fear of being cursed for disparaging the Goddess's name. Heck, if anything it would be celebrating her name. I know that I'd be honored if there was a drink called Eric's Fire. That would be too arrogant of me to try to pull off so Pele's Fire it is.

All I will say right now is that it's a cocktail that has fruit on the front for about 5-15 seconds and is slowly replaced by a heat on the finish to inspire one to drink more in order to put the flame out. The heat isn't supposed to be overwhelming. It's a fun drink not a tonsil scorcher.

I'll post the details in the drink section once I have confirmation that I get credit for it's creation.

Pele is the God of Fire and has not been shy about "encouraging" homage to the Big Island by her revenge.
Locals pay homage to her by leaving her gifts of alcohol.
So, I think you are all good.

Bahooka has been serving a drink called "Pele's Punch" for many years and I don't think they have suffered any ill effects.

Mickey ain't skurt:

from the Spirit of Aloha Luau at Disney World's Polynesian Resort:

Signature Cocktail

Pele's Fire Punch - The Volcano Goddess' blend of Bacardi rum, Myers' Original Dark Rum, Banana Liqueur, blackberry brandy, pineapple juice, and Grenadine served in an authentic, hand-carved monkey coconut. You keep the coconut! $14.95

" fruit on the front for about 5-15 seconds and is slowly replaced by a heat on the finish..."

I like where you're going, do I smell capsaicin and alcohol?

FYI, there is no "Curse of Pele" from an ethnic Hawaiian cultural standpoint. It's all a made up thing. Here's my story...

A few years ago, I returned a volcanic rock to Haleakala National Park that a friend of mine had brought back to LA. When I told her about the "curse" (that she confirmed on the internet), she got really really scared. Since I was leaving for Maui the next week, I said I would personally hand carry it back to the volcano for her.

I brought the rock into the park visitor center and asked where the best location was to place the rock back. The park ranger then promptly began to read me the riot act telling me it was ILLEGAL to remove rocks from a national park. I said dude, don't take it out on me, I'M RETURNING THE ROCK. It was kind of a scene as all of the tourists inside huddled around us to check out what was going on.

He then took the rock from me, saying they had to freeze it first (to kill any mainland parasites). Afterward they just throw the rocks into a pile near the visitor center's entrance. He said they get rocks mailed back every week.

I said if they really wanted to discourage people from removing rocks, they should formally post the legend of the curse to scare people. He said that would be inaccurate as there is no such curse in ancient Hawaiian history !!

Is it possible that the whole Hawaiian curse legend is a result of the "cursed" Tiki episodes of Gilligan's Island and Brady Bunch? (Or did the legend exist prior to that and was probably the inspiration for those plot lines?)

Is this a misappropriation of superstitions from other cultures (i.e. Egyptian curses, Voodoo curses) on to Polynesian history where the concept of "bad luck" curses may have never existed? Are 1960's situation comedies to blame ??

If so then that's pretty darn "Tiki". :)

Groan.

Every lawn and garden store in metro Chicago sells "lava rock."

Is that why Illinois is cursed with massive corruption and crime?

Pele is active.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fgw-hawaii-volcano-20110307,0,6393918.story

Very Active

Kilauea spews lava

It's been a long time coming so here goes nothing... Well, it is kind of something.

Pele’s Fire
3 oz Habenero infused Cruzan white Rum *
1.5 oz Napa Natural Passion Fruit Pure UNDILUTED
1 oz Agave nectar

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass rimmed with baker’s sugar

• Habenero infused rum mother ~ quarter 4 Habenero peppers long ways with seeds in. Place peppers and 750 ml of Cruzan white rum into an empty 1.75 liter for 48 hours. This creates the mother.
  Start with 1 oz of Habenero mother per 750 of un infused Cruzan white and season to taste adding not more than 3 oz so that the first flavor of Pele’s Fire is the Passion fruit and 5 to 10 seconds later the heat comes in. Not enough to be a tonsil scorcher but enough to encourage one to take another sip to put out Pele’s flame... for the time being. This drink may be habit forming.