Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park yesterday unveiled a massive sculpture that pays tribute to the volcano goddess Pele, whose own monumental handiwork is evident in the Big Island's stunning landscapes and the ongoing Kilauea eruption.

"Ulumau Pohaku Pele" (Forever Growing, the Rock of Pele) by Kona artist John "Kalewa" Matsushita is meant to remind visitors that the park is a place of natural and scientific wonders, but also a place that is sacred to Native Hawaiians, according to Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando.

"Through this sculpture we hope to raise the visitors' awareness of the sacredness of our volcanoes and their living deity Pele," Orlando said. "This is a lasting legacy to the power, meaning and values of Hawaiian culture."

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park in 2004 issued a call to artists for proposals to create a sculpture portraying the concept of "wahi kahu," or sacred place. More than 30 artists submitted designs for the $38,000 commission. The park's Kupuna Consultation Committee reviewed the proposals and recommended the entry by Matsushita, who has a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Hawai'i -Manoa and also studied at the Art Institute of Southern California.

The 11-foot-tall sculpture features a 7-ton lava rock that reveals an impression of Pele. The rock sits on a base of four carved 'ohi'a wood panels depicting Pele's past (her journey to Hawai'i), her present (her home at Kilauea and Mauna Loa), and her future (her new home at Kama'ehu, a submarine volcano).

The artwork was installed in front of the Volcano Art Center near the park's Kilauea Visitor Center.

Matsushita, 32, said he drew inspiration from the late Emma Kauhi, a member of the kupuna committee who envisioned the sculpture in a dream. Kauhi died before the work was finished, but the artist said he talked with the other elders about "the older times, and I just tried to incorporate all those feelings."

The kupuna also helped him pick out the boulder that is the centerpiece of the sculpture. Matsushita said he relied on a crane and friends with trucking connections to haul it from the Haleki'i area of Kealakekua. The artist, whose "day job" is working as a finish carpenter, said this is the largest piece he's attempted.

"I didn't plan on it being this scale. It's just how it evolved," he said.

An estimated 300 people attended yesterday's dedication. Pua Kanaka'ole-Kanahele recited an oli (chant) that she created especially for the occasion, and Pele Hanoa offered a pule (blessing).

Funding for the commission was provided by the Ford Foundation, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, and the Mountain Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conservation, community development and cultural preservation of important mountain ranges.

Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.