While on our Pacific Island Tour, we visited several Hawaiian islands. As we came off of our cruise ship, on our first island of Oahu, we ported near the Aloha Tower, the same place visitors use to arrive by boat as they immigrated to these islands. We were greeted with a lei.
The wearing of Lei in ancient Hawaii symbolized riches, monarchy, and status.
The lei custom was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by early Polynesian voyagers, who took an incredible journey from Tahiti, navigating by the stars in sailing canoes. With these early settlers, the lei tradition in Hawaii was born.
Leis were constructed of flowers, leaves, shells, seeds, nuts, feathers, and even bone and teeth of various animals. In Hawaiian tradition, these garlands were worn by ancient Hawaiians to beautify themselves and distinguish themselves from others. The Maile lei was perhaps the most significant. Among other sacred uses, it was used to signify a peace agreement between opposing chiefs. In a Heiau (temple), the chiefs would symbolically intertwine the green Maile vine, and its completion officially established peace between the two groups.
A Hawaiian Lei is a decorative garland worn around the neck or on the head. Lei comes in various lengths and materials.
The materials (flowers, leaves, nuts, ribbons, candy, money, etc) used to manufacture the colorful neck adornments, are gathered with great care.
The mana (or spirit) of the Lei’s maker is believed to be sewn or weaved into it as this is done. As a result, when you offer a Lei, you are really donating a piece of yourself. Similarly, you acquire a part of Lei’s creator when you receive one.
In Hawaiian culture, Lei was traditionally offered to symbolize love, affection, peace, friendship, honor, celebration, and greetings.
With the advent of tourism in the islands, the lei quickly became the symbol of Hawaii to millions of visitors worldwide.
Today, the Hawaiian Lei is regarded as the universal emblem of aloha, whose term is used to define a “force that holds together existence”.
Hawaii is a state made up of eight major islands. Each island has its unique Lei, reflecting a harmonious combination of texture and color. Due to rigorous agricultural rules, most of these Lei cannot be shipped to the mainland.
- Hawaii (Big Island) – Red or the Ohia Lehua flower
- Oahu – Yellow with the gold ‘Ilima
- Maui – Pink and the Lokelani rose
- Kauiai – purple with the Mokihaa
- Molokai – Green with Kukui
- Lanai – Orange with Kauna’oa
- Niihau – White with Pupu o Ni’ihau (shells)
- Kaho’olawe – Hinahina
Many elderly Hawaiians reminisce about their “boat days” of the early 1900’s with fondness. This was before the familiar hum of airline jets,when tourists and visitors came to Hawaii by boat. As the boat arrived at the pier near the Aloha Tower to welcome malihini (visitors) and kama’aina (locals) back home, it was a social party with lei greeters, hula dancers, music, and photographers.
Legend says that departing visitors and locals would throw their lei into the sea as they sailed passed Diamond Head, in the hopes that, like the lei, they too would return to the islands again someday.
There are very few “rules” when it comes to wearing a Hawaiian lei. Anyone can wear one, anytime – there need not be an occasion. It is perfectly fine for one to purchase or make a lei for themselves. In fact, it is common for locals to have a nut, seed or shell lei on hand ready to wear on special occasions.
Lei giving is a regular part of any special occasion such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and graduations. It is not uncommon for a graduating senior to have so many leis around their neck that they can no longer see!
There are, a couple of “unspoken” rules one should know when receiving a lei for the first time. A lei should be a welcomed celebration of one person’s affection to another. Therefore, always accept a lei, never refuse.
If you are allergic to the flowers, you must tell the person presenting the lei, then drape it over your significant other.
The proper way to wear a lei is gently draped over the shoulders, hanging down both in front and in back. It is considered rude to remove a lei from your neck in the presence of the person who gave it to you, so if you must, be discreet.
May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii
Fearing that Hawaii’s rich tradition of lei making was wilting, poet and writer Don Blanding conceived the idea of creating Lei Day. Each year on May 1(the same day May Day is celebrated on the mainland), Hawaii celebrates “Lei Day.” Lei Day became an official holiday in the territory of Hawaii in 1929 and continues today.
Many celebrations take place across the island on this date, but in Oahu, Lei Day festivities are centered at Queen Kapiolani Park in Waikiki, where people of all ages compete, State Fair style, to see who can make the best lei. This day is also filled with pageantry, dances and other customs celebrating Hawaiian heritage.