The Welcoming Lei -- The tropical beauty of the delicate garland, the deliciously sweet fragrance of the blossoms, the sensual way the flowers curl softly around your neck -- there's no doubt about it: Getting lei'd in Hawaii is a sensuous experience.
Leis are one of the nicest ways to say hello, goodbye, congratulations, I salute you, my sympathies are with you, or I love you. Giving leis is a historic custom: According to chants, the first lei was given by Hiiaka, the sister of the volcano goddess, Pele. Hiiaka presented Pele with a lei of lehua blossoms on a beach in Puna.
During ancient times, leis given to alii (royalty) were accompanied by a bow, since it was kapu (forbidden) for a commoner to raise his arms higher than the king's head. The presentation of a kiss with a lei didn't come about until World War II; it's generally attributed to an entertainer who kissed an officer on a dare, then quickly presented him with her lei, saying it was an old Hawaiian custom. It wasn't then, but it sure caught on fast.
Lei-making is a tropical art form. All leis are fashioned by hand in a variety of traditional patterns; some are sewn of hundreds of tiny blooms or shells, or bits of ferns and leaves. Some are twisted, some braided, some strung. Every island has its own special flower lei. On Oahu, the choice is ilima, a small orange flower. Big Islanders prefer the lehua, a large, delicate red puff. Maui likes the lokelani, a small rose. On Kauai, it's the mokihana, a fragrant green vine and berry. Molokai prefers the kukui, the white blossom of a candlenut tree. And Lanai's lei is made of kaunaoa, a bright yellow moss, while Niihau uses its abundant seashells to make leis that were once prized by royalty and are now worth a small fortune.
Leis are available at lei stands at Honolulu International Airport. Other places to get creative, inexpensive leis are the half-dozen lei shops on Maunakea Street in Honolulu's Chinatown, and Flowers by Jou & T Jr., 2653 S. King St. (near University Ave.), Honolulu (tel. 808/941-2022). They're also available from florists, and even at supermarkets.
Leis are the perfect symbol of Hawaii: They're given in the moment, their fragrance and beauty are enjoyed in the moment, and when they fade, their spirit of aloha lives on. Welcome to the islands!
