She bestows fertility, wild sustenance, growth, and fire upon the Hawaiian islands. Haumea, possessing two moons discovered in 2005 with a large telescope in Hawaii, received her name during this period by a member of the American team. Known to consist of solid rock, the Hawaiian goddess Haumea is intimately linked with stone. The celestial body is believed to have endured a colossal impact, ejecting chunks of rocky ice into its orbit, with two fragments large enough to be classified as moons. In Hawaiian mythology, Haumea is the progenitor of numerous deities, birthed from parts of her own form. Additionally, Haumea is revered as the goddess of childbirth, a fact mirrored in reality when Mike Brown’s announcement of her discovery was delayed due to the birth of his daughter. The selection of her name was fitting, yet it was to be followed by further remarkable coincidences.

When the name Haumea was proposed, it was unforeseeable that two years later, coinciding with its official announcement, a young mixed-race senator would be elected President of the United States. President Barack Obama, born in Hawaii, symbolized the transformative power of leadership changes in the world’s foremost superpower. As if by a twist of fate, the inauguration of a Hawaiian president aligned with the recognition of a Hawaiian planet.

Haumea is the most unusual object discovered in the solar system to date. It has a cigar-like shape and rotates end over end, completing a rotation every 4 hours. Additionally, there is a peculiar red spot on its icy surface. The team that discovered Haumea suggests it experienced a catastrophic collision, evidenced by five small fragments and two moons found in its orbit, all of which are notably reflective. Intriguingly, this totals eight pieces of Haumea, coinciding with the number of main islands in Hawaii, the U.S. state after which the planet is named.

Haumea appears in various forms, all associated with creation and birth. In one aspect, she is a human named ‘Papa,’ married to Wakea, and considered the first woman in Hawaii, making her the progenitor and ancestor of the royal family, who practiced interbreeding to preserve their lineage. Beckwith describes her as the feminine deity responsible for creating the Hawaiian Islands. These eight islands are volcanic, situated along a tectonic fault line, with some still active. During eruptions, lava flows and solidifies, contributing to the islands’ growth. Haumea’s fiery goddess form, Pele, represents the volcano’s inner fire. Ancient Hawaiians observed the formation of land through volcanic activity, which served as a powerful metaphor for Earth’s creation. They associated fire with Spirit, a concept aligning with spiritual beliefs, viewing Earth as born from Fire. Thus, they believed the islands emerged as the physical embodiment of Spirit, suggesting that the land possesses a living essence.