Pele Defense Fund facts for kids

The Pele Defense Fund (PDF) is a special group that works to protect traditional Hawaiian rights and customs. They especially focus on things connected to the Hawaiian goddess Pele.

How it Started

The Pele Defense Fund began in April 1985. Its main goal was to protect Pele and the rights of Native Hawaiian people. The founders were Palikapuokamohoaliʻi Dedman, Dr. Noa Emmett A luli, and Lehua Lopez. They held important roles like president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer.

What They Do

A big reason the Pele Defense Fund was created was to protect the Wao Kele O Puna rainforest. Protecting this rainforest has been a main focus for the group. They believe that drilling for energy in the area would harm their ability to practice their religion. Dedman, the president, said that drilling in the rainforest was like damaging a sacred place. The Pele Defense Fund even hired experts to look at the energy plans. These experts said the plans would cost much more money than the state believed.

Big Ads for a Cause

In February 1988, the Pele Defense Fund worked with a group in San Francisco. They placed large ads in nine Sunday newspapers.

One ad, which cost $35,000, appeared in the New York Times. It said things like: "Come to Hawaii. Swim in polluted water. Breathe toxic fumes. See ugly electric towers." The ad asked people to send protest messages to Governor Waiheʻe and Senator Daniel Inouye. This campaign raised enough money to cover its cost. It also gained support from environmental groups and got attention across the country. Experts from other states studied the energy drilling plans. They found that the state's claims about costs and how well the plans would work were not accurate.

After this ad campaign, the Pele Defense Fund received major funding. This came from groups like the Alexander Gerbode Foundation and the Tides Foundation. The Wao Kele O Puna rainforest also gained attention from people working to protect rainforests worldwide.

Peaceful Protests

On March 25, 1990, the Pele Defense Fund organized a protest. About 1,500 people who follow Pele's traditions and their supporters tried to enter the drilling site at Wao Kele O Puna. They wanted to hold a religious ceremony there. During this protest, many people were arrested for being on the drilling site. This event was one of Hawaii's largest acts of peaceful protest. It was also the biggest single act of peaceful protest in the United States to save a rainforest.

Court Battles

The Pele Defense Fund has taken part in many court cases.

• In one case, Pele Defense Fund v. William Paty, et al., the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court made an important decision. They ruled that a person's traditional rights are not limited to just the area where they live.
• In another case, Aluli v. Lewin, the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court decided something important. They ruled that permits for energy drilling cannot be given out until the Department of Health sets rules for air quality.