Students share how a local lei maker honors tradition, builds relationships and reflects the true spirit of aloha with his craft
Uluamu Langi, a local lei maker, said the art of lei-making goes far beyond stringing flowers together—it’s a heartfelt expression of love, creativity and culture. His passion for the craft, he said, stems from growing up in Hawaii and being immersed in its rich cultural traditions. He shared he especially enjoys how lei-making allows for endless creativity.
Langi recalled crafting his first lei from candy and said his perspective on lei-making shifted when a friend invited him to make his first fresh flower lei. That moment, he shared, helped him understand what people meant when they called the craft a “labor of love.” “The time and effort it took to make a lei, coupled with the intent to give it to someone special, filled a lei with love,” he shared.
Langi’s friends said his leis reflect more than beauty—they carry care and aloha, often when it’s needed most. Camela Mataele, a sophomore from California majoring in business marketing, said she first witnessed Langi’s talent for lei-making during a cousin’s graduation in summer 2024. “Langi arrived from Hawaii with leis he made—a song of India lei, two single-strand crown flower leis, and another I can’t remember the name of,” Mataele shared. “The leis were beautiful and the Hawaiian-grown flowers stood out in the California crowd.”
Langi told her he had picked the flowers himself and assembled most of the leis on the plane, Mataele added. “I was so amazed,” she said, “especially since I had just learned this was a new talent of his.”
Langi said one of his best memories as a lei maker came from attending a preschool graduation, where he overheard a mother tell her son that the many leis around his neck represented how loved he was. “I think that is so beautiful and true of each lei—handmade or bought. It carries the giver’s love for the recipient,” Langi expressed. “The spirit of aloha can be seen in various ways, and one of the greatest ways I have seen it is through lei.”
Langi said over the years, he has worked with many materials. He has crafted leis with crown flower, plumeria, puakenikeni, stephanotis, tiare, song of India and ti leaf, among others. “When it comes to lei-making, if you have a vision, you just have to execute it. The possibilities are honestly endless,” he said.
Lei makers, he shared, can use any part of the flower—bud, stem, petal or leaf. Techniques also vary, with leis being twisted, bent, folded, opened or closed, depending on the occasion and the creator’s intent. He said some flowers hold specific meaning. “I know the crown flower was the late Queen Lili‘uokalani’s favorite flower,” he shared. Stephanotis, he added, is often recognized as the Hawaiian wedding flower.
Langi said he prefers to tailor his lei-making to the moment. “I make any kind of lei for any occasion—it just depends on what I feel like at the time,” he said. He shared he prefers thicker leis for graduations or farewells, while candy leis are practical and much-appreciated for kids.
Buna Vitinavulagi, a senior at BYU–Idaho majoring in psychology, said her favorite among Langi’s leis was a puakenikeni—“full, beautiful and so fragrant,” she recalled. “I appreciated the tips he shared about caring for both the flowers and the tree. I hadn’t realized picking the puas daily is essential for maintaining the tree’s ability to keep producing blooms,” she shared.
For Mataele, the impact of receiving a lei from Langi goes beyond the occasion or the flower’s meaning—it’s about timing and thoughtfulness. “His beautiful work of leis makes me feel God’s love,” she expressed. “Personally, I have received them when I least expected it—usually when I needed a pick-me-up the most.”
Mataele said the warm welcome she received upon arriving in Hawaii in 2024 overwhelmed her with emotions. “When I was picked up from the airport, Langi greeted me with a beautiful double-stranded plumeria lei and crown flower lei he had made,” she shared. “I still have the crown flower lei today, even though it’s dried. It hangs in the house as a reminder of the aloha I’ve always felt since moving to Hawaii.”
Beyond cultural tradition, Langi said lei-making has become a way for him to bond with others. “My friends and family who visit ask to make lei with me, and a lot of people have made lei with me for the first time,” he said. “Lei-making with others is a good bonding experience. You can never go wrong with trying something new with the people you love.”
That sense of connection is something Mataele said she has experienced firsthand. “Langi has a talent for making leis and he is also inviting others to learn how to make their own,” she said. She shared on her first day living in Hawaii, Langi taught her how to make a double-stranded lei. “We went to pick plumeria flowers, sat in front of the temple on the grass area, shared stories and made leis,” she said. “I remember giving it to someone later that day, but it was a whole experience. I’m grateful he’s willing to share this talent.”
Mataele said since learning from Langi, she has shared her lei-making skills with others. “Many of my friends learned from Langi and it’s been a fun thing to enjoy doing together,” she said. “It’s the gift that keeps on giving—and it’s all made with love.”
Vitinavulagi echoed that sentiment. “Langi is the most thoughtful lei maker I know,” she expressed. She said Langi’s thoughtful way of picking flowers, making sure the tree stays healthy and thriving, reveals his strong respect for the natural world. “I think the kind of mindfulness Langi has reflects not just a love for the land but a strong awareness of his actions and their impact,” she stated.
She also shared Langi declined when she once offered to pay for a lei he made. “He explained that making leis is a way to show aloha—something done purely from the heart. I thought that was really special.”