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Lei o Hawai`i
Making Lei
E Komo Mai!
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Halau
Hula Na Mohala Hala`i dancer/haumana Yoshi picks `a`ali`i seed capsules to
fashion into the lei he will wear to dance He Moku Ka Ula. `A`ali`i,
because of it's tenacity and endurance and its ability to withstand strong
winds, is often incorporated into lei for dances which depict battles, or
call on additional strength. It's beautiful red, orange, and yellow colors
also are reminiscint of the colors of a sunset, so it also is prized lei
of that theme.
Haumana
hula Naoko, visitng from Japan, picks liko lehua for
the lei she will wear to dance Ke Ao Nani. Liko, the budding
branch tips, are symbolic of regeration and re-growth. Thus they are often
used in hula honoring children. They also symbolize growing into
wisdom.
The halau took a field trip up the Saddle Road to pick their foliage to make lei for the annual Volcano race at which they danced.
The
"stuff" of lei making - a completed lei haku in the
foreground. `A`ali`i, liko, la`i, palai, and other materials wait on the
table to be fashioned into lei.
Na haumana (l-r) Anela, Naoko, and Yoshi
in Kumu's back yard as they prepare la`i
for weaving lei haku. Lei haku are made by braiding in three ply and
carefully inserting the foliage into each wrap as the braid is formed.
Yoshi
and Leilehua make lei hilo (twisted two-ply ti leaf lei) from la`i harvested in
Kumu's back yard.
Naoko
and her lei haku incorporating liko lehua, `a`ali`i, palai,
kupukupu, and moa.