The moʻolelo of Kohelele or Kohelepelepe is a story of consent and resistance, one that teaches us traditional modes of understanding regarding the complexities of domestic violence and the intricacies of familial bonds. Martha Beckwith, informed by Mary Kawena Pukui, writes that Kapōʻulakīnaʻu, also known as Kapōmaʻilele, the sister of Pelehonuamea, saves Pele from a violent attack on her person by Kamapuaʻa. Kamapuaʻa and Pele are known to have a tumultuous relationship, both as lovers and enemies.

According to this moʻolelo, the pig deity Kamapuaʻa forces himself onto Pele near Kalapana on the island of Hawaiʻi. This violent attack catches the attention of Kapōʻulakīnaʻu, a powerful matron god of hula and sorcery. Thus, her senses would have been attuned to the cries of help from her sister, who, in her own right, commands the fires of Kīlauea.