Arriving on the islands thousands of years ago, the tradition of lei-making has quickly become a symbol of Hawaii
With a history dating back thousands of years, Hawaiian lei are a symbol of love and friendship, explains ABC News’ Zohreen Shah on Good Morning America. Master lei maker, Kuana Torres Kahele told Good Morning America, “In the old days of Hawaii, when you were given a lei, that told the wearer … whomever gave you that lei worked hard, went far, high and above to obtain those flowers.”
Photo by Hiroki Konno
Follow along to see how lei-making has evolved through the years.
- According to the National Park Service website, voyagers from the Marquesas Islands first settled in Hawaii between 1000 and 1200 A.D., bringing with them the culture of lei-making.
- Lei were originally made using feathers, shells, bones and teeth instead of flowers, shares Old Lahaina Luau website.
- Maile lei, open-ended leis made from leaves of the maile vine, were significant in ancient times because they were used as a symbol of peace between chiefs, according to hawaiiflowerlei.com.
- According to the Kamehameha Schools website, traditional lei-making styles include lei wili (twisting of one strand), lei hilo (twisting of two strands), lei hipu’u (tying knots), lei hili (braiding using one material), lei haku (braiding using many materials), lei humupapa (sewing onto a backing) and lei kui (stringing materials together).
- With the rise of Hawaiian tourism in the early 1900s, the lei was the symbol of Hawaii to visitors, explains the Hawaii Flower Lei website. “Lei vendors lined the pier at Aloha Tower to welcome malihini (visitors) to the islands and kama’aina (locals) back home,” it says.
- The Kamehameha Schools website explains that the first Lei Day was celebrated on May 1, 1928, to honor the tradition of lei-making.
- Puakenikeni flowers were popularized in Hawaii in the 1930s, explains the Lei Poinao’le website. “Lei Puakenikeni were sold for 10 cents each, from which it received its name (‘pua’ meaning flower, and ‘kenikeni’ meaning dime),” it shares.
- Today, lei are used for a variety of occasions, from graduations to weddings to funerals, explains the National Geographic website.