Lei
Shell, plant, and feather garlands
Lei have become a universal symbol of Hawaiians and their culture. While the use of lei as adornment has continued into the present, to truly appreciate the significance of adorning oneself or someone else with lei, one must understand their spiritual and commemorative meaning.
Lei were made from a variety of materials. From shells to ferns and seaweed to flowers, each component serves a specific purpose. The materials used in lei are kinolau, physical manifestations, of the Hawaiian gods. When hula dancers adorn themselves with lei, it is a way to draw upon those energies to inspire a dancer to recall and retell the stories that are contained within each song.
Lei were also used to commemorate an individual's journey to specific locations. The type of flora found in these locations were common knowledge. It was known that a person who traveled to the volcano on the island of Hawai'i, would wear a lei made of paʻi niu, a native Hawaiian lily, whereas a lei limu pahapaha, made from a type of seaweed, was worn when journeying from Polihale on the island of Kauaʻi.
Just as diverse as the purposes and functions of lei, so too are the methods for making them. One of the most common methods is called kui. These lei are simply strung together using a needle and thread, and are the most commonly-seen style today. Another method is called hili, where a single type of material is used and twisted together to form a lei, such as with the ti leaf or the palapalai fern. The wili style of lei making requires a backing upon which the materials are bound by cordage.
The lei, like most of Hawaiʻi's arts, served a function beyond aesthetics, and continues in the present day to inspire and commemorate special events.