Lei is a Hawaiian word for a garland or wreath. The "shaka" sign is a common greeting Gesture. It is often associated with Hawaii and sports such as Surfing, Kitesurfing, The Hawaiian language (Hawaiian ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i) is an Austronesian language that takes its name from Hawai'i, the largest island in the tropical More loosely defined, a lei is any series of objects strung together with the intent to be worn. The most popular concept of a lei in Hawaiian culture is a wreath of flowers draped around the neck presented upon arriving or leaving as a symbol of affection. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also This concept was popularized through tourism between the Hawaiian Islands and the continental United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In Samoa, a similar garland is called an ula. Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, is a country governing the western part of the Samoan Islands Archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean
Children and sweethearts are poetically referred to as "lei" and many ancient and modern songs and chants refer to this imagery.
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Materials
A lei (nā lei is the plural in the Hawaiian language) may be composed of a pattern or series of just about anything, but most commonly consists of fresh natural foliage such as flowers, vines, or fern fronds. The Hawaiian language (Hawaiian ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i) is an Austronesian language that takes its name from Hawai'i, the largest island in the tropical Among the flowers used are the plumeria, lehua blossom or the orchid, though maile leaves are extremely popular as well as traditional among hula dancers. Metrosideros polymorpha ( ‘ōhi‘a lehua or lehua) is an evergreen Tree of the Myrtle family which is Maile (pronounced MY-lĕ) ( Alyxia oliviformis) (meaning "chain resembling olive" is a flowering vine in the family Apocynaceae Hula (ˈhuːlə is a dance form accompanied by chant or song It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there Other types of lei may include sea or land shells, feathers, plastic flowers, fabric, paper (including origami and monetary bills), candy, words (as in a song), or anything that can be strung together in a series or pattern and worn as a wreath or a necklace. (from oru meaning "folding" and kami meaning "paper" is the ancient Japanese Art of Paper folding.
Crafting
The eight most common methods of making lei are:
haku - three-ply braid incorporating additional materials. A braid (also called plait) is a complex structure or pattern formed by intertwining three or more strands of flexible material such as textile fibers wire or human hair A method of making a lei by using a base material, such as softened tree bark or long leaves, and braiding it while adding the decorative plant material into each wrap of the braid. Normally used for flowers and foliage with long pliable petioles or stems. A stem is one of two main structural axes of a Vascular plant.
hili - braid or plait with only one kind of material. Most commonly made from three or more strands of supple vine or fern braided together.
hilo - twist, double helix, intertwine. A method of making a lei by twisting two strands together to form a "rope. " The popular and simple lei laʻi (ti leaf lei) is made using this method.
hipuʻu / nipuʻu - a method of making a lei by knotting the stems of the decorative plant material and stringing the next stem through the knot. It requires a very long stem on the decorative material. Similar to a daisy chain.
humu / humuhumu - sew to a backing, usually using a basting stitch. A method of making a lei by sewing the decorative material to a backing such as lau hala, la`i, paper, or felt. Each successive row of lei material is overlapped on the previous to create a scale-like effect. Bougainvillea lei and feather hat lei often are made with this method. Bougainvillea is a genus of Flowering plants native to South America from Brazil west to Peru and south to southern Argentina
kui - pierce, piercing stitch. A method of making a lei by sewing or piercing the decorative material with a needle and stringing it onto a thread. This is probably the style with which most Westerners are familiar. This method is commonly used to string flowers such as frangipani, rose, carnation, etc. A rose is a perennial flowering Shrub or vine of the Genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species
wili - wind, twist, crank, coil. A corkscrew-type twist, as found in a pig's tail and the seed pod of the wili-wili tree. A method of making a lei by winding fiber around successive short lengths of the decorative material. Sometimes base materials such as lau hala (pandanus), laʻi, strands of raffia, or even strips of paper are used to make wrapping easier. Pandanus is a Genus of Monocots with about 600 known Species.
haku mele - to braid a song. A song composed out of affection for an individual is considered a lei.
Lei may be open or closed, depending on circumstance.
Types
Ti Leaf Lei is a type of lei, thin and braided, that can be entirely made from only fresh green leafs of the Ti plant, coming in either close loop or open loop variation. Cordyline fruticosa ( Ti plant also known as the good luck plant) is an Evergreen Flowering plant in the family Liliaceae [1]
Maile Lei is another type of lei, having a looser and whole leafy appearance, that can be made entirely of fresh green leafs but from the Maile vine, in open loop variation. Maile (pronounced MY-lĕ) ( Alyxia oliviformis) (meaning "chain resembling olive" is a flowering vine in the family Apocynaceae [1]
Customs
There are many customs and protocols associated with the giving, receiving, wearing, storing, and disposing of lei.
In modern times, a lei is usually given with a kiss - a custom which began in World War II. Traditionalists, however, give a lei by bowing slightly and raising it above the heart, allowing the recipient to take it, as raising the hands above another's head, or touching the face or head, is considered disrespectful.
By tradition, only open lei are given to a pregnant or nursing woman.
If due to allergies or other reasons a person cannot wear a lei which has just been given (for instance a musician who would tangle the lei in his or her guitar strap), the lei is displayed in a place of honor, such as the musician's music stand or microphone stand.
Lei should never be thrown away casually, or tossed into the trash. Traditionally they should be returned to the place they were gathered, or if that is not possible, they should be returned to the earth by hanging in a tree, burying, or burning. A lei represents love, and to throw one away represents throwing away the love of the giver.
Polynesian
In Polynesian cultures, a lei is something that is created by someone and given to another with the intent to decorate that person for an emotional reason—usually as a sign of affection. Polynesian culture refers to the aboriginal Culture of the Polynesian -speaking peoples of Polynesia and the Common reasons include greeting, farewell, affection or love, friendship, appreciation, congratulation, recognition, or to otherwise draw attention to the recipient. Love is any of a number of Emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong Affection.
Hawaii
Among residents of Hawaiʻi, the most popular occasions at which lei can be found are birthdays, graduations, weddings, funerals, retirement parties, and bridal showers. It is not uncommon for a high school or college graduate to be seen wearing so many lei that they reach his or her ears or higher. [2][3]
On May 1, Hawaiians celebrate "Lei Day," first conceived in 1927 by poet Don Blanding. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Donald Benson Blanding ( November 7, 1894 &ndash June 9, 1957) was an American Poet who sentimentalized warm climates At the time, Blanding was employed by the Honolulu Star Bulletin, and he shared his idea with columnist Grace Tower Warren, who came up the phrase, "May Day is Lei Day". The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, based in Honolulu, Hawai{{okina}}i, is the second largest daily newspaper in the state of Hawai{{okina}}i (the largest The Hawaiian song, "May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii" was composed in 1927 by Ruth and Leonard "Red" Hawk. The music of Hawaii includes an array of traditional and popular styles ranging from native Hawaiian folk music to modern rock and hip hop. Events January 8 - Alban Berg 's Lyric Suite is premiered in Vienna. [4]
At the 81st Annual Mayor's Lei Day Celebration at Kapiolani Park, Honolulu set the record for the World's Longest Lei. Kapiolani Regional Park is the largest and oldest public park in Hawai{{okina}}i, located in Honolulu Hawai{{okina}}i on the east end of Waikīkī. Unofficially, the lei measured 5,336 feet in length, more than a mile. "We exceeded our goal," said Mayor Mufi Hannemann. Muliufi Francis "Mufi" Hannemann is an American politician and currently the Mayor of Honolulu. "We were hoping to reach one mile. I want to thank the people of Honolulu, and especially the dedicated and hard working members of our Department of Parks and Recreation in addition to our corporate sponsors and volunteers, for making Lei Day 2008 the biggest and best in recent memory. "[5]
Gallery
 Young hula dancers wearing kukui nut lei in preparation for a performance on Molokai. |
 Lei of plumeria flowers and 'umi'umi-o-dole (Spanish moss) on an outrigger canoe at a blessing. |
 Fragrant lei of fresh pikake (Arabian jasmine). |
References
- ^ a b Ti and Leaf Lei. Retrieved on 2007-03-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates
- ^ Honolulu Star-Bulletin Local News
- ^ A Hawaiian Sea Burial Company Home Page
- ^ A History of Lei Day. Lei Day Celebration. City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-09. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of
- ^ Fischer, John. Lei Day in Hawaii. About. com.
External links
Further reading
McDonald, Marie A. (1995). Ka Lei: The Leis of Hawaii. Ku Pa'a Publishing. ISBN 978-0914916321.
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