Hilo, Hawai`i
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Mo`olelo o na Lei
( Stories of the
Lei )
Calendar * Workshops * Lei Day Pageant * Lei Competition * Lei Links * Lei Songs * Lei Gifts
Lei
Day Pageant
May 1,
2007
Our Lei Day Queen is selected from Moku Hawai`i kūpuna
who have devoted their lives to, first, preserving and perpetuating the
mo`olelo, the stories, of our lei, and thus our heritage, and second, to
promoting intercultural harmony and understanding. This year, the
very first that we are officially a festival, we are honored that kupuna
Nona Kapuailohiamanonokalani Desha Beamer has graciously accepted
the invitation to be our Lei Day Queen.
We feel it is especially appropriate that Aunty Nona wear this year's lei po`o, as she was the instigator of the first Mo`olelo o nā Lei program, a one month art show celebrating the beauty, stories, and variety of the lei, which was held in April of 2005 at the Wailoa Art Center in Hilo. In adition, Aunty Nona has preserved and perpetuated a unique style of lei, teaching it to generations of Hawai`i’s children, as well as uncounted adults – kama`āina and malihini alike. She has worked tirelessly throughout her life to preserve and perpetuate the traditions of mo`olelo, Hawaiian storytelling, and she has continuously striven to promote and perpetuate intercultural harmony and understanding in Hawai`i and the world.
Aunty Nona Beamer was born in Honolulu, but has deep roots in the island of Hawai`i, and spent much of her life here. She spent her childhood with her parents in Nāpo`opo`o and with her grandmother, Helen Desha Beamer, in Hilo. As a toddler, she began her studies of hula and Hawaiian culture under the loving direction of her "Sweetheart Grandma," whom she considers her primary cultural influence. As she grew older, she helped her hard-working `ohana by caring for the younger children, telling them stories and singing them songs - thus honing the skills she would use to teach generations of children in the following years.
After over 70 years of performing, teaching for four decades at the Kamehameha schools - including creating the foundation of their modern Hawaiian Studies program, leading countless workshops throughout Hawai`i and the world, and authoring numerous publications, she claims to have retired. Since her (repeated) retirement, she has founded a number of Hawai`iana programs throughout the Hawaiian Islands, including the most recent, a Hawai`iana program on Maui called, "Be Proud of Who You Are."
Our youthful
kahili bearers are students of Connections Charter School of Hilo, and
are students of Sonia Carvalho.
Lei Demonstrations will be held from 9:00 to
11:00. Displays of different lei and lei styles will remain up until
3:00 pm. The lei entered in the lei competition will remain on display
until 3:00 pm. At left, a lei kukui in the haku style.
At noon, the Royal Court will make an appearance at the Band Stand and enjoy the beauty of the various lei as well as traditional Hawaiian entertainment.
The
day will include Hawaiian chant, hula kahiko, live music featuring
Keoki Kahumoku, and hula
`auana. Free to the public at the Mo`oheau Band Stand in historic
Downtown Hilo. At right, Keoki plays while pageant coordinator Leilehua
Yuen dances hula at the first Mo`olelo
o nā Lei art show and celebration
which was held at the Wailoa Art Center in 2005.
Selected from a field of applicants of mixed cultural heritage, the Lei Court serves Moku Hawai`i voluntarily to inspire and educate "the populace" about the importance of the lei in Hawaiian culture and thought. Their cultural blend underscores the beauty of our multi-cultural islands. Just as every flower has its own unique beauty and fragrance, and flowers form many lands are woven into our cherished lei, so too with the myriad people who make Hawai`i our home.
In 2001, our Senator, Danial Kahikina Akaka, during a May 1 address, said, " 'May Day is Lei Day' in Hawaii. Lei Day is a nonpolitical and nonpartisan celebration. Indeed, its sole purpose is to engage in random acts of kindness and sharing, and to celebrate the Aloha spirit, that intangible, but palpable, essence which is best exemplified by the hospitality and inclusiveness exhibited by the Native Hawaiians -- Hawaii's indigenous peoples -- to all people of goodwill."
At
left, Aunty Nona shares tips with a your hula dancer at the Mo`olelo o nā
Lei Lei Day celebration at the Wailoa Art Center.
At right, Aunty Nona leads a sing-along. Stories and song are important in preserving cultural heritage.
Pageant Schedule
Pre-Pageant
8:00-10:00
Accepting lei entries
10:00-11:30 Judging
9:00-11:30
Demonstrations of Lei Making
12:00
Entrance of Lei Court
Royal Entertainment
Hula and Hawaiian Music
1:00-1:30
Announcement of Lei Competition Winners and Presentation
of Awards
1:30-2:30
Royal Entertainment
Hula and Hawaiian Music
2:30-3:00
Closing Ceremonies
Post Pageant
3:00
Lei Pick-up
Ka`ahele Hawai`i is an electronic magazine of Hawai`i Island. We hope to provide material of interest and usefulness to readers both on and off Ka Moku Hawai`i. It is currently under development as the first website designed and managed by Yuen Media Services. We would like to invite YOU, the reader, to participate in the development of this site. Please let us know of any suggestions you may have to make this site more useful and enjoyable. Mahalo, Leilehua Yuen.