Hawaiian Flower Lei
and Green Maile Lei*

Kahuna lapa'au ...physician in ancient Hawaii CLICK for larger view.

When flowers are strung together in a lei and given away with a kiss, they are greatly treasured. The lei symbolizes Hawai'i throughout the world and it has a long history in these islands and in other parts of Polynesia. The tradition probably came to Hawai'i over a thousand years ago with migrating voyagers from the islands of the south Pacific. These neolithic people traveled great distances in their double hulled canoes to find and colonize the islands of Hawaii.

In ancient Hawai'i, lei were worn by a farmer in the field to invoke divine blessing upon his crops. Lei were worn by nursing mothers who believed in their life-giving, life-symbolizing power. Crafts-people wore lei to bring them closer to the spirit of the material they were working with. Certain lei were used in healing rites performed by the Kahuna Lapa'au (medical priest) and the lei was essential for dancers of the hula (see Maile lei.) Special lei that signified authority were sometimes worn by the ruling chiefs (Alii.) in old Hawaii.

The tradition of wearing lei is still strong in Hawaiian culture today and can be happily found at weddings, parades and other community gatherings. SEE: Pau Riders

The giving and receiving of a lei has come down through time as a beautiful gesture from one person to another. The sentiment is expressed in the song Ka Moa'e:

		E lei aku 'oe ku'u aloha I ko'olua nou i kahi mehemeha. (Wear my love as a lei, and as your companion in lonely places.)
Hula dancers in ancient Hawaii CLICK for larger view.