Posted by Noelani Laanui on February 10, 2000 at 10:23:19:
In Reply to: Re: The History of the Hawaiian Lei posted by Hanalei on February 10, 2000 at 00:04:42:
: : I am assisting my younger cousins on a project that is focusing on the many islands of the worlk. Their's happen to be the Hawaiian Islands. Can you please tell me what the history of the Lei is, who made them, why they were made and where did they orginate from? This information would be greatly appreciated. ~Much Aloha, Kokua.
: Aloha, Kokua,
: You could not have picked a better and more beautiful subject than the lei in Hawai`i. While most people associate the lei with Hawai`i because "it is so Hawaiian", the lei has a great cultural significance to we the Hawaiian people. The lei had protocols, meaning and were made from many things. Leis were not only from flowers, but from seashells, seaweed (limu), grasses, feathers and, best of all, when a flower lei was accompanied by a song which was a lei of words with timeless beauty. A lei showed honor and love and was a gift. It represented children. It was bad form for a person to ask another for their lei. Normally, a lei worn by a person was only given to family members lest it fall into the hands of someone who would wish you harm. Leis worn by hula dancers were not given away because they had already been dedicated to the gods. Pregnant women were not allowed to wear leis lest the child strangle on the umbilical cord. If after birth there was little milk, the mother was given a lei of sweet potato vines which had a milky sap in an effort to increase her milk supply. Certain leis brought bad luck to people running for public office, e.g., the hala (pandanus tree fruit)was a losers lei also the kikania fruit. Other leis were associated with the elderly and those who had died, like the maile. That is why when people walked along forest trails and they smelled the scent of maile they would always say that the old folks were passing by and step off of the trail. Today, people associate maile primarily with dances and weddings. The presenting of a lei with a kiss was not a Hawaiian thing neither was cutting a lei when starting a construction project or at a grand opening of a business. Someone wanted to give the ribbon cutting ceremony a "Hawaiian twist or flavor". To a Hawaiian cutting a symbol for children, family, loved ones, ancestors, love, honor and respect is unthinkable. As you can see the lei is more than a string of flowers, it is a deep and abiding part of our culture. I hope this helps. Aloha kaua, Hanalei
Aloha and Pehea Oe Hanalei:
Mahalo for such a beautiful translation and meaning of the "lei". I wanted you and all the others like you and Kapo to know how much I learn from your knowledge. I usually print your postings and take them home to read to my 13 year old. We live in No. VA and he does not have the good fortune of being raised on Maui where I am from. When you share your mana'o such as you have here, I too learn new things. It also brings to mind the teachings of my Grandparents. Uncle Charlie, mahalo to you to for this wonderful web site and your endless efforts. Noelani