To access the podcasts, you can go to Spotify, Buzzsprout or YouTube and search for Ke Alaka‘i.
Designer Letter from the
Dear readers,
I’m honored to share with you this special issue dedicated to the beauty, meaning and legacy of Polynesian lei. More than adornments, lei are symbols of love, respect and deep cultural identity. Each strand weaves together generations of tradition, representing stories of connection, ancestry and aloha.
In these pages, you’ll discover how lei have carried the spirit of Polynesia across time—honoring ancestors, celebrating milestones and preserving sacred customs. I invite you to reflect on your own roots and the traditions that shape who you are today. How can you share and honor those roots and traditions as Polynesia does through lei? Who in your life could benefit from such an act of selfless love?
May this issue inspire you to carry forward the legacy of those who came before—with reverence, gratitude and pride; and look forward to the future with a passion for striving everyday to do good. What impact do you wish to have on the world? In generations to come, what will you be remembered for?
PCC’s Lei Day competition marks 95 years of celebration through lei that reflect identity, love and the artistry of hands and heritage
Garlands of colorful flowers, leaves and coconut lined the bridge in the Hawaiian Village at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) on May 1 for its annual Lei Day competition. Community members, including BYUH students and PCC workers, showcased their artistic and meticulously crafted lei creations as part of Hawai‘i’s 95-year-old celebration known as “May Day is Lei Day.”
The winners of the four lei categories were announced as follows (1st, 2nd and 3rd place):
All Flower Lei - Keanui AhYou, Turi Kekuaokalani, Michaelle Tahiata
Fresh/Natural Lei - Turi Kekuaokalani, Lili Filipo, Falemei Tipi
Coconut Lei - Michaelle Tahiata, Turi Kekuaokalani, Keleane Tahiti
Yellow Lei - Turi Kekuaokalani, Royal Nikora, Karly Nikora
President’s Choice - Tereiti Robinson
A celebration of culture, craft & CONNECTION
Photos by Hiroki Konno & Cho Yong Fei Page design by Lizzy Schofield.
“We adorn ourselves with things that might be found in the stories.”
Keahu Manoa
beyond admiring aesthetic
Keanu Manoa, Hawaiian Village manager from Laie, said “The idea of Lei Day is actually more of a modern thing, but the idea of lei is very ancient.” Among many purposes lei serve, he explained they are traditionally worn to adorn oneself, express love and care, and symbolize identity and honor. As the narrator for daily hula presentations in the Hawaiian Village, Manoa shared hula dancer wear lei to pull people toward the story by representing who they tell in the performance. “We adorn ourselves with things that might be found in the stories. If we’re talking about a certain mountain, we’ll wear flowers or plants from that mountain,” he explained.
Hawaiian believe everything was initially created spiritually before physically, he said. With this belief in mind, Manoa said traditionally, Hawaiian would ask the flowers or plants, “Would you come with me and make beautiful lei?” Beside admiring the beautiful color and shapes of the flowers, Hawaiian also pay attention to the feelings from interacting with nature when gathering lei materials, he said. When people respect nature in that way, the lei becomes more beautiful, he added. But when people gather flowers purely based on appearance, without acknowledging their spirits, Manoa said “That’s not super Hawaiian.”
In a time where technology and automation dominate, Manoa said, creating something special with your hands using nature is becoming a rare skill. He emphasized the importance of preserving and passing down this artistry, saying lei-making teaches both patience and mutual respect for nature. Once trying to make lei in his adulthood, his respect for the laymakers grew and his patience developed during the making process because “it’s hard,” Manoa said.
Meaning woven into every Lei
Taking home the first place for Fresh/ Natural Lei and Yellow Lei; and the second place for All Flower Lei and Coconut Lei category, Turi Kekuaokalani from Big Island said his most special lei featured roseshaped coconut ornaments on top of individual ti leaves. He explained the lei “represents [his] family,” by using only materials gathered from his family’s backyard.
Kekuaokalani said each lei told a story tied to his family. With his yearning to create something “out-of-the-box” and exotic, Kekuaokalani described he layered the bird of paradise flower one at a time on top of each other to craft his all-orange natural lei with a touch of purple and red flowers in between. “Orange is my uncle’s favorite color,” he added. His yellow lei, which he described as his personal favorite, was lined end to end with yellow plumeria—a flower and color cherished by both his aunty and himself. In the All-Flower Lei category, he pushed his creativity further by incorporating tree bark, something he had never used before, paired with pink and red blooms for contrast.
Joining him in the competition was his sister, Tara Kekuaokalani, who said her brother inspired her to participate. “He’s been teaching me different ways to form or shape using different flowers,” she said. Still early in her lei-making journey, Tara said she sees the event as a learning experience that allows her to be more expressive, creative and experimental with various types of flowers.
Visiting from Missouri, Corrine Tobias said, “Whenever I see someone with a lei on, it makes me think of the person that gave it to them loves them very much.” She shared a lei full of yellow and white plumeria was her favorite design because of its fullness and simplicity.•
An Emblem of Aloha
Arriving on the islands thousands of years ago, the tradition of lei-making has quickly become a symbol of Hawaii
BY ABIGAIL ADAMS
According to the National Park Service website, voyagers from the Marquesas Islands first settled in Hawaii between 1000 and 1200 A.D., bringing with them the culture of lei-making.
Lei were originally made using feathers, shells, bones and teeth instead of flowers, shares oldlahainaluau.com.
Maile lei, open-ended lei made from leaves of the maile vine, was significant in ancient times because they were used as a symbol of peace between chiefs, according to hawaiiflowerlei.com.
According to the Kamehameha Schools website, traditional lei-making styles include lei wili (twisting of one strand), lei hilo (twisting of two strands), lei hipu’u (tying knots), lei hili (braiding using one material), lei haku (braiding using many materials), lei humupapa (sewing onto a backing) and lei kui (stringing materials together).
With a history dating back thousands of years, Hawaiian lei is a symbol of love and friendship, explains Good Morning America. Master lei maker, Kuana Torres Kahele told Good Morning America, “In the old days of Hawaii, when you were given a lei, that told the wearer... whomever gave you that lei worked hard, went far, high and above to obtain those flowers.” Follow along to see how lei making has evolved through the years.
With the rise of Hawaiian tourism in the early 1900s, lei was the symbol of Hawaii to visitors, explains hawaiiflowerlei.com. “Lei vendors lined the pier at Aloha Tower to welcome malihini (visitors) to the islands and kama’aina (locals) back home,” it shares. The Kamehameha Schools website explains the first Lei Day was celebrated on May 1, 1928 to honor the tradition of lei making.
Puakenikeni flowers were popularized in Hawaii in the 1930s, explains leipoinaole.org. “Lei Puakenikeni were sold for 10 cents each, from which it received its name, (‘pua’ meaning flower, and ‘kenikeni’ meaning dime),” it shares.
Today, leis are used for a variety of occasions, from graduations to weddings to funerals, explains the National Geographic website.•
Photo by Matthieu Rochette, Page design by Lizzy Schofield.
Lei for every moment in life
BY TAY KANG
Discover the lesser-known roles of lei in Hawaiian culture and learn thoughtful tips to select the perfect lei for each occasion
Any kind of moment in life calls for lei,” said Makana Manoa, an adjunct faculty member from the Jonathan Napela Center for Hawaiian & Pacific Studies. She said lei serves many purposes, from commemorations and celebrations to personal appreciation of nature’s beauty. “The meaning [of each lei] depends on the setting. Lei can represent different deities in hula. Lei can be used as protection and it can be symbols of love, time, effort, support, congratulations and condolences,” she explained.
While a lei can be worn on almost any occasions, Manoa emphasized the symbolism of each material should be carefully considered. Lei Hala, she explained, represents passing on,
making it appropriate for funerals as it honors the deceased’s legacy and consoles the living. She added Lei Hala can also be given at graduations to mark the end of a journey. “But it’s unsuitable for weddings—you don’t want their marriage to pass away,” she said.
To simplify choosing lei for different occasions, Manoa suggested using non-native Hawaiian flowers and plants. “Plants like plumeria, pikake and puakenikeni are safe options.These introduced species don’t carry specific cultural symbolism, but they are beautiful and fragrant,” she said.When using native plants to incorporate symbolism in lei, she emphasized the importance of researching each material as many hold special meanings or embody specific deities.
Even though traditional occasions like chiefly ceremonies or offerings for Akua are rarely practiced in modern society, Manoa said the practice of lei-making remains significant in Hawaiian culture. “If you stop making lei and giving lei, you are losing a beautiful part of your culture and identity,” she expressed.
The meaning and value of lei, Manoa explained, are preserved across changing contexts as the love, effort and emotion behind each one have been passed down through generations. “There’s so much power in a lei— the time, care and ancestry woven into it. When you wear one, you feel all the emotions of a big hug. Lei carry a special mana, and you don’t want to lose that,” she expressed.
EVERYDAY LIFE
From religious offerings to personal adornment, lei have traditionally been seen as everyday ornaments.
WEDDING
“Lei Maile,” symbolizing courtship and romance, is often worn by brides and grooms, although other lei are also used. Guests may be adorned with lei too.
PANIOLO’S PARADE AND RODEO
“Lei papale” is used to secure cowboy hats. Paniolo often draped horses with lei for parades and rodeos.
FUNERAL
“Lei Hala,” with hala meaning “to move on” and “to pass on,” symbolizes healing after loss and honors the legacy of loved ones.
GREETINGS
Making and giving lei is a gesture of aloha, expressing love, honor, farewell and congratulations.
HULA PERFORMANCE
Worn by hula performers, lei serve both as decoration and as a spiritual connection to the environment, symbolizing reciprocity.
COMMUNICATION WITH GOD
Used in religious rituals, lei symbolize gratitude to the akua (deities) and appeal for inspiration and enlightenment.
ILLNESS
Worn during healing, lei provide physical, emotional and spiritual remedy throughout treatment.
WAR
“Lei o manō”, or a shark’s lei, refers to a handheld shark-tooth dagger used by an ali’i (chief). •
Illustrations by Guen Ramirez Page design by Ice Cesario.
The cultural richness of lei making
BY LINDA LAULU
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 [flowers] 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 pickme-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
“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.”
Buna Vitinavulagi
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.” •
Photos by Hiroki Konno & Cho Yong Fei, Page design by Lizzy Schofield.
“The spirit of aloha can be seen in various ways, and one of the greatest ways I have seen it is through lei.”
Uluamu Langi
More than just an ornament
Lei makers share love, labor and connection behind every strand
BY MYCO MARCAIDA
Alei is more than just flowers because making one requires physical, mental and spiritual aspects, said Allison Legazpi, a senior majoring in Pacific Islands studies from the Philippines. “Finding and gathering of materials is the physical part, also mentally because I need to remember the pattern of what I am trying to make and what I want it to look like. And spiritual because I say ‘thank you’ to the plants that I get my materials from, because we take the materials from a living thing,” she explained.
A community knitted with love
While it is the flowers and leaves that make a lei, it’s actually time, dedication, skill and knowledge that truly matter, said Legazpi.
When people appreciate and take care of the lei, she said she feels they reciprocate the love she put into making it for them. “For graduations, the most lei I made was 15 and they are mostly lei po’o too. So, it took me three days,” she continued.
She shared people would usually join her because they want to learn by themselves.“When graduation season comes, I will have a lot of people in my hale, so I can say lei making is creating a community,” she continued.
“I am not an expert,” Legazpi added. “I teach for fun sometimes, but I’m still learning. What I do know is that wherever I go after living here, I’ll take Hawaii’s influence with me. Hawaii taught me to embrace who I am as someone who can blend these values into my own life.” She said she feels equally honored when a lei is given by someone close to her or someone she barely knows. “I simply know the effort they put into it,” she said. Legazpi shares a list of how she would make her ti lei:
Ti (La’i) leaf lei (Hilo Style)
1. Gather your ti leaves properly: Never cut them. Pull the leaves downwards. Follow the plant’s pattern.
2. Debone the ti leaf. Cut the leaves straight to the top of the leaf and leave the hard center that’s connected to the stem.
3. Soften the ti leaves (Microwave for 1 minute, freeze overnight or boil them).
4. Take two leaves, tie a knot and hang them up somewhere you can put tension on the leaves. (Some people use their toes, but make sure your toes are clean!)
5. Take the right strand and twist it to the right. Then, put it over the other strand. Repeat the process.
6. Once the leaf you’re working on has at least three inches left, add another leaf to extend it by simply placing it on top of the working leaf and twisting it to work it in.
7. To end the lei, tie a knot.
Adapting to materials available for her, she said, “If there are no ti leaves, I find another plant. It is also important to harvest sustainably. I have been using kukui leaves recently from the kukui tree. And they make pretty good leis.” When plumerias bloom in spring, she said she uses those. If it’s during Culture Night, there are little to no ti leaves available, so she said
she tries to find what’s available. “I like working with organic materials, from the earth,” she explained.
How to take care of a lei
The Hawaii Flower Lei website describes leis as constructed from flowers, leaves, shells, seeds, nuts, feathers, even bone and teeth of various animals. “In Hawaiian tradition, these garlands were worn by ancient Hawaiians to beautify themselves and distinguish themselves from others,” the site says.
The meaning and symbolism of a lei is showing the aloha spirit, warmth and welcome of the Hawaiian people, says the Flower Leis website. “Each material selected for crafting a lei carries its own unique symbolism, often accompanied by specific chants, myths and customs related to its collection, creation, presentation and use.” For instance, the site says vibrant yellow and red feathers of the Hawaiian honeycreepers, a group of small birds endemic to Hawaii, were exclusively used for the leis of ali’i, or royalty.
Legazpi said she takes care of the leis memorable to her. She kept her own puakenikeni lei she received from a co-worker to keep in her room. “My coworker used the yellow flowers, and they were fragrant. It was meaningful because I’ve always wanted to make one myself, but to be gifted one made me feel special,” she shared.
When you take care of a lei, it doesn’t mold. It just dries up and preserves nicely, Legazpi said. “I have another lei that I received from when I left my job at the Polynesian Cultural Center, which my manager gave me. It’s made out of yarn,” she continued.
Even the disposal of a lei carries cultural significance, Legazpi said. “You either keep them or return them to nature, but always remove the string first,” she said.
Sharing aloha across cultures
In a May 2025 CBS News interview, lei maker and Hawaii native Meleana Estes says the lei-making tradition was passed down for more than 1000 years. “There’s never a wrong time to bestow someone with a lei,” Estes says.
Estes shares a lei is an expression of aloha or one’s love, saying her grandmother was very intentional before making a lei. “I feel like my Tutu (her grandmother) would think about it for three days prior, you know, as she’d start gathering [materials] with intention for that one person,” she says.
Legazpi shared she made leis for her sister and a close friend’s wedding. Despite not asking her to make one, she said, “It was a privilege for me to make it for them, and I saw it as an opportunity to help them out and gift them with it. It is how I share my love for them.”
She said funeral wreaths remind her of leis. She recalled how beautiful the wreath was that her family received during her grandmother’s funeral, despite the sadness of the occasion. “Just like each island in Oceania, which has its own versions and names for a lei. At the heart of it all, it’s really all about showing love,” she explained. •
Photo provided by Allison, Illustrations by Guen Ramirez, Page design by Cho Yong Fei.
Your Own Aloha
An infographic on creating your own flower lei
BY SAI RAMIREZ
According to the Maui Luau official website, lei—whether they’re comprised of flowers or shells––are synonymous with the islands. These adornments were worn by ancient Hawaiians for ceremonial purposes and to decorate oneself with respect, the site says. Now, however, lei are used for everything from graduations to weddings, it says. Taken from Maui Luau and a blog post by Diana Hansen, here are steps on how to make your own lei.
Be Creative
According to Maui Luau website, though a beautiful flower lei can easily be completed with just four steps, the art of lei-making doesn’t end there. Other materials can also be used for lei. For example, the site says one can use ti leaves or ferns to add greenery to the lei, or kukui nuts, feathers and shells for lei that will last.
Illustrations by Guen Ramirez, Page design by Cho Yong Fei.
Step 1: Choose your flowers properly
According to Maui Luau, plumeria lei is the most famous lei in Hawaii because of the abundance of plumeria on the islands. Some alternatives include orchids, hibiscus, cigar flower and jasmine.
Step 2: Prepare your materials
According to Hansen, a large needle, waxed dental floss and scissors are needed to start the lei-making process. If waxed dental floss is not available, the website recommends a double strand of sewing thread. Then, as per Hansen, the chosen flowers must be cut off near the top of the stem to prepare them for threading.
Step 3: Start threading
According to Maui Luau, once the chosen strand is threaded through the needle, the needle must be inserted into the thickest part of the stem. The process is then repeated, as per Hansen’s post, with the needle always going through the middle of the flower and gently moving down the strand.
Step 4:Tie it off
Once the desired length is achieved, the strand must now be completed by tying it off, Hansen says. As per her post, an additional decoration may be added to cover where it was tied, like a knotted ribbon. •
The lei
A shared language of love & culture
Students say Fiji and the Philippines have their own unique garlands, both resembling and differing from the Hawaiian lei
BY SAMANTHA FAITH SATORRE
First anchored in Hawaii by Polynesian voyagers, the tradition of lei making does not exist on the islands alone. From the salusalu of Fiji to the garlands of the Philippines, Lisa Yabakivou and Tijane Paug reflected how the practice has thrived for ages across the Pacific, rooted in different cultures yet echoing the same love, respect and connection. According to The Hawaiian Lei Company, lei giving is a cherished tradition that has endured and flourished across different generations. It says even though many ancient Hawaiian customs have already faded, lei is preserved as Hawaii’s most recognized icon. “In the beautiful islands of Hawaii, everyone wears lei. A lei is a common symbol of love, friendship, celebration, honor or greeting. In other words, it is a symbol of aloha,” its website explains.
“Lei signify our unity and love for one another. It’s a way to share love and respect despite our differences,” expressed Yabakivou, a senior from Fiji majoring in accounting. Differences in identity and cultural origin, she continued, hold no bearing in lei giving, making it a bridge between different cultures, especially in diverse communities like BYU–Hawaii. “It doesn’t matter what culture you come from. You can receive a lei, salusalu or garland,” she said.
“Making and giving lei make it easier for me to love other cultures,” shared Paug, a senior from the Philippines studying accounting. The practice, she added, helps her love and appreciate people across different backgrounds. “It’s like getting to know cultures through the act of lei making,” she expressed.
Symbols of tradition, respect and honor
The Fijian salusalu, Yabakivou shared, holds a significant place in their culture. “It signifies love, respect and a warm welcome.” She said they normally use plant materials, such as the hibiscus fiber, along with fragrant flowers in its creation. “We string them together and give them to our guests,” she shared.
“If I could describe my lei or salusalu in one word, it would be gratitude. Gratitude for the people who have loved, supported and influenced us.”
Lisa Yabakivou
In the Philippines, according to Paug, garlands carry both cultural and religious symbolisms. While often seen at graduations, weddings and other prestigious ceremonies, she said specific types, such as sampaguita (Arabian jasmine) garlands, are also offered to religious statues. “For us, it’s usually a symbol of prestige, achievement or respect,” she shared.
Similar to Hawaii’s spirit of aloha, Yabakivou said Fiji has its bula spirit. “Bula is our greeting, like aloha in Hawaii,” she explained. Just as the Hawaiian lei communicates the spirit of aloha, she said the salusalu represents Fiji’s bula spirit—the love, respect and hospitality characterizing its culture. Some of the differences between the Hawaiian lei and the Fijian salusalu, Yabakivou noted, lie in the materials involved and the design. “In Hawaii, the shape is usually circular to be worn around the neck and head. In Fiji, our salusalu is primarily broad and bib-like to cover the upper chest,” she shared. The salusalu, she continued, also takes a longer time to assemble because of its ornate structure, layering, size and multi-material composition. “That’s why it’s mostly done for major occasions.” Paug said it was an old custom in the Philippines to welcome guests with fresh flower garlands primarily made of sampaguita, the country’s national flower. In recent years, however, she said modern practices now favor satin ribbons for an easier, more affordable and durable option. “Also, in the Philippines, you normally wouldn’t see people giving garlands on any occasion apart from ceremonies that celebrate people’s achievements or prestige,” she added. Paug recounted helping her mother make garlands for graduations as a child, saying it was her only background with lei making. “As a kid, I used to think it was a bit dangerous to make because of the needles and sharp tools,” she shared with a laugh. Still, she noted that even though the garlands were only made for graduation, she knew it was crafted with love built up over the
Crafted with care
Paug said what began as a simple gesture of welcoming a friend to Hawaii eventually blossomed into a personal tradition rooted in love and thoughtfulness. “Lei making and giving, for me, is about ministering. It’s about sharing my love and affection for the wonderful people in my life,” she expressed. The art of lei-making, she stressed, is primarily driven by her desire to make people feel loved, cared for and appreciated.
“Lei making and giving, for me, is about ministering. It’s about sharing my love and
Her interest in lei making, she said, began with weaving headbands from coconut leaves and fresh flowers as part of her job at the Polynesian Cultural Center. “I was a retail sales associate, and my workmates were also trying to make some lei from the flowers we gathered that time, and that’s when I developed an interest in doing it as well,” she recalled.
She said her experience with garlands from the Philippines was redefined and enriched with each lei she crafted for friends in Hawaii. “My very first creation was only for welcoming a friend from the Philippines. But as time went by, I learned to love the tradition,” she expressed. She now makes lei for birthdays, milestones and ordinary days alike, using the practice to honor the special place her friends have in her life.
“If I could describe my lei in one word, it would be ‘care.’ When I give a lei, it’s because I care,” Paug expressed. Her lei, she said, is always crafted with the intention to minister for its recipient. “My lei lets them know that their existence is loved and recog-
Crafted with warmth
For Yabakivou, the tradition of making and giving lei is filled with warmth. “Not just the warmth of our culture, but the warmth of genuine connection and love,” she expressed. She said this feeling is especially strong at BYU–Hawaii, where people from diverse cultures come together as one community. “When we receive or give lei, we can really feel that warmth—the love and respect—both from the person and their culture,” she shared.
She said the first lei she crafted opened her eyes to the deeper beauty and significance of the tradition. “I realized just how much effort and love it takes to make a lei for some one you appreciate,” she shared. She said the experience made her reflect on all the times she received lei in the past without fully understanding the thought and care behind them. “Now, when I make them, I understand that they’re created out of genuine love.”
Since then, Yabakivou said she models her lei after the personality of the people receiving them. For her, the tradition reflects humanity’s deep capacity for love. “If I could describe my lei or salusalu in one word, it would be ‘gratitude’. Gratitude for the people who have loved, supported and influenced me,” she expressed. •
Illustrations by Guen Ramirez, Page design by Lizzy Schofield.
Blossoming businesses promoting Hawaiian culture
Three women share their experiences with lei making and the importance of safeguarding native Hawaiian culture
BY ANN GOEBEL
For two native Hawaiian women, running their lei-making businesses helps them building community and sharing Hawaiian culture, shared Kalia Guiteras of Hilo, Hawai‘i and Kaylee Mapuana Kataoka of Mililani, O‘ahu. A proud Kamehameha Schools graduate and owner of the Instagram-based lei shop “hakuleibykay,” Kataoka said she is grateful she has been able to remember her ancestors through this Hawaiian cultural practice, which traces its beginnings in these islands back to the first Polynesian voyagers who came to Hawaii.
Learning lei making
Kataoka said when she was fourteen years old, her aunty “who is a retired Hawaiian language and culture teacher, taught me how to make lei.” To develop her skills, she said she watched videos online and practiced through trial and error.
“My passion for this art has only grown since then … Lei making is not only something I enjoy, but I feel it keeps me grounded and connected to my ancestors,” she said. According to Kataoka, it is a privilege to continue this art form.
Guiteras, owner of Lei by Lia, said “Though I’ve danced for Halau O Ka Ua Kani Lehua [the group she danced hula in] since the age of 3, it wasn’t until I began dancing hula at Kamehameha Schools that I started to make lei within a hui or group setting.” She said her halau had on-campus sleepovers where they worked on their lei together.
Guiteras also grew up making lei in her grandmother’s lei garden. Laughing, she said, “I think back in my days as a keiki [child], lei was our version of the iPad. I would come up to [my grandmother] while she was trying to get things done around the house, and all of a sudden she would hand me a lei needle and floss.”
Since starting college, BYUH alumna Delphia Mihi Lloyd from Idaho said she has learned many lei styles—like ti leaf and puakenikeni—from local Hawaiian friends since she started college. She said her friend, Mahina Okimoto, taught her proper names of plants, lei styles and their cultural significance. “It was fun, humbling and therapeutic for me to learn,” Lloyd shared.
She said her favorite lei to make is pua kalaunu because there are different ways the flower and its petals can be threaded together into patterns. Also, it was Queen Lili‘uokalani’s favorite flower, she said.
Starting A Business
Even though being a business owner has sometimes been difficult, Kataoka said, “I am so blessed to have an opportunity to preserve my culture while also doing something I love.” She began her business during her senior year of high school, calling it “one of my greatest accomplishments so far.”
Guiteras used to perform hula on a tour boat, but after leaving that job, she shifted her focus to selling lei, she shared. She was asked to do a pop-up for the Merrie Monarch Festival and she said, “I hardly got any sleep during that week because I couldn’t keep up with lei orders.”
That experience made her switch over to teaching customers to make their own lei. However, she said, “it wasn’t a good feeling turning people down or selling out because in most cases, you’re giving lei to someone special.”
Though she primarily sells lei, Kataoka said she taught her first lei-making class in July 2024. Despite many hours of class preparation, she said it “was well worth it after seeing the enjoyment in everyone’s faces.” Sharing her love of lei and seeing her customers proudly display their lei made it a positive experience for Kataoka.
More than a job
Guiteras said she loves creating spaces where lei lovers can come together to make lei. “Lei making is not what makes me special; it’s what I have in common with so many people.”
She said the values she learned from making lei—“pouring love into our lei, love into our lives and love into our people”—impact her life daily and the lives of other lei makers. “People seem to understand the importance of having an open heart and mind when working with these delicate flowers; to be worn with pride or to be gifted to someone we love … Let us be so mindful and so loving in everything we do, making lei or otherwise.”
Creativity In lei making
Though she has experience with lei po‘o, Guiteras’ favorite lei is ti leaf, or la‘i in Hawaiian, because she prefers the haku method of lei making. Her students at Kalama Intermediate often complain the leaves are too sticky and smelly when softened, but she said she loves it.
Drawing on the wili (wrapping) technique she learned in middle school, Kataoka has since been able to experiment with lei making. “Not only are [lei po‘o] absolutely beautiful to wear but they also let me explore my creativity with the various colors and styles.”
Younger generations sometimes hesitate to “tweak things or potentially make lei in a way that’s not traditional,” said Guiteras. “When I share with kupuna [elders] such as my Aunty Rafaela Uyetake, a master lei po‘o maker, about my latest lei designs … she is nothing but happy.” Guiteras said adapting these traditions and encouraging creativity is acceptable, as long as lei makers are intentional about educating others on the plants they use and maintaining ethical lei-making practices.
Internet facilitating cultural education
The ethical and respectful use of cultural practices like lei making can be promoted through the internet, said Lloyd, a digital creator who speaks about mental health and racial inequality. However, she said the conversation around facilitating cultural competency should not be about asking how social media can be used to teach but how people can use it to seek preexisting information.
Lloyd noted, “There are many kumu [teachers] and leaders of all cultures who take the time to share their knowledge.” She said people need to be taught to have the desire to search for themselves and be open to new information. “As a haole [white person], the significance of lei making to me is an opportunity to support Kanaka Maoli [native Hawaiians] in keeping their culture alive.” •
More than a gift
How personalized lei celebrate love & culture
BY FRANCE VALERIE LUCILLO
Two BYUH alumnae and a student share how personalized lei make them feel loved, blessed and remembered
From traditional flower lei to personalized lei like candy or money lei, people modify lei according to their preferences—whether for themselves or loved ones to show love and real intentions to connect with them.
Cantalise Fereira, BYU—Hawaii alumna, said it is important to remember that lei is a Polynesian cultural thing so try to acclimate to the culture and embrace it in appropriate ways, especially as we live here in Hawaii since individuals cannot just pick and choose what cultural aspect they want to be part of. “So, if you’re going to pick one aspect of Hawaiian culture, like wearing lei or giving lei, then you need to respect the whole Hawaiian culture,” she said.
Spam lei and feeling loved
Fereira said she received a spam lei for her graduation last Winter 2025. “My mom made the spam lei for me, which we both decided to buy in Foodland,” she said. Fereira explained they decided to do spam lei because “it is a staple here in Hawaii and a cultural norm as well [to have it].”
“Going to BYUH has been special to me and has always been a big dream of mine, so I wanted to celebrate ending my academic journey in a meaningful way,” Fereira said, “My family and friends gave me lei, and the [spam] lei was the one I wanted.”
Fereira added the gift was especially meaningful because it showed how much her mother listened and cared. “The way I feel most loved is when someone listens to what I want and helps me get it,” she said.
Money lei and being creative
Gaby Canite, a BYUH Winter 2025 of biology graduate, said she received a money lei as a personalized lei for her graduation. “The lei was given by my husband and it was passed down to him by his sister and now, to me,” Canite said it was special to her not only because it was given by her husband but also because it held significance to her heritage. “I’m one-fourth Chinese, and in Chinese culture, giving money during special occasions symbolizes blessings for one’s future.”
She said it became unique to her because it was different from all the lei she received. “The money lei I received was made with so much patience and effort because that person who originally made it folded it into a very good-looking lei,” Canite said.
She said traditional lei and personalized lei are acceptable to her because both are beautiful and personally made for the person. “I would prefer a personalized lei because it was intimately made for you. It reflects who you are and what you like.”
“We’re still using the resources we have here, so, for me, it is still respecting the boundaries. For example, if we were to make a candy lei, it’s because we see candy everywhere,” she said. For Canite, making a lei is doing it out of creativity. “It’s being creative outside the box; you are expanding your resources and your creativity, which made me appreciate the nature and culture of Hawaii.”
From a Hawaiian perspective
“When you make lei, you’re thinking of the person you’re making it for and you’re putting your heart and intention to it,” said Keilani Cabatu, a sophomore from Maui and Utah double majoring in social work and peacebuilding. She said it is the significance of lei giving—giving it to the person you love. “It also means embracing the people you’re giving lei to with love,” she added. She said lei making has become a bigger part of her life and connection to the land.
Cabatu shared her experience when she graduated high school in Utah and her mother ordered a pikake lei—small, creamy white flowers—for her. “My mother told me the story of how my ancestors were buried with a pikake lei. It made me realize that it’s more than just a flower; it is a symbol of love that made me feel rooted and remembered,” she explained.
“Your intentions to make the lei are what is important,” Cabatu said. She said personalizing a lei does not necessarily disrespect traditions. “I think how you gather your materials sustainably and respectfully, which respects the people and the land is what matters,” she emphasized.
She said with ti leaf, a commonly used plant in lei, individuals are supposed to take out the outer edges of the plant and then go towards the middle. Then, do not pick the very middle part because that’s the youngest part of the plant, she explained. “It hurts me to see people cut it with scissors. I think one thing that would be cool is if the school created a short educational video about how to properly pick ti leaf,” Cabatu expressed.
“If a lei is given to show love, then that what matters. But, if it’s just to show off without actually knowing the significance behind it, then it’s a struggle for me to accept others ‘modifying a lei,” she said. Cabatu said it is a beautiful act when people try to embrace the culture of lei making and giving. “That’s what gives it meaning, by knowing the cultural significance behind the things you do,” she said.
Cabatu said it’s important to help younger generations learn traditional lei making nowadays. “They need to learn how to be intentional with plants and the land,” she said. Cabatu said she has a friend who exemplifies embracing the culture with respect and appreciation. “She does so by learning from people who know how to make lei like Hawaiian or Tahitian people, who know how to do things properly,” she said.
Photo provided by Gaby Canite. Illustrations & Page design by Lizzy Schofield.
“When
you make lei, you’re thinking of the person you’re making it for and you’re putting your heart and intention to it.”
Keilani Cabatu
“I
would prefer a personalized lei because it was intimately made for you. It reflects who you are and what you like.”
