"The explicit how-to instructions will be appreciated by any who would learn details on lei making: photos are clear, steps are thoroughly explained, and lei making is revealed from its simplest designs through the more complex blossom choices and lei skills." --Midwest Book Review

In a village in old Hawaii, everyone is excitedly preparing gifts for the impending visit of the King and his family. A poor young girl wishes she had a special gift to give. With help from her fairy friends, she comes up with the perfect gift of aloha.

Lots of color photos of Hawaiian flowers made into wili-style haku lei and worn by local Kauai people. Plant descriptions, instructions on how to make a haku and photographed glossary of Hawaiian plants used. A delightful glimpse into Kauai island- style living through the eyes of a photographer and a lei maker.

Almost everyone loves a lei--the making, giving, receiving, and wearing of the lei is a cherished Hawai'i tradition recognized worldwide. With the renaissance in Hawaiian culture sweeping the islands, growing plants that provide lei materials can be a source of pride and pleasure for the home gardener, an economic opportunity for green-thumb entrepreneurs, and can reduce gathering pressure on the few precious remaining areas of native Hawaiian vegetation. This book contains information on growing 85 plants that can provide flowers or foliage for lei. Some are traditionally used native species; others are relatively new introductions with a potential place in the lei industry. In addition to the 170 pages detailing the plants, sections of the book provide useful basic plant production information and helpful tips for anyone wishing to get into the lei material business in a small or large way. In a special section written for this book, two experts on Hawaiian tradition and native Hawaiian plants explain the spiritual and cultural significance of the lei and lei making in ancient Hawai'i. These authors highlight the ancient Hawaiian conservation ethic and concept of sustainable agriculture, a revival of which could help preserve the islands' threatened native ecosystems. This book is a must-have for anyone wanting to help preserve Hawai'i's plant and cultural heritage!

Offers step-by-step instructions for making seventeen ribbon leis, including tips on threading, marking, stitching, shredding, pinching, and folding.

Lei expert Marie McDonald's history of the lei in Hawai'i is an entertaining and informative mix of personal narrative, history, and song.

Lei are the very expression of traditional Hawaiian culture and were once an essential part of community and family life. Following in the footsteps of Samuel Kamakau, Abraham Fornander, and others, the authors have collected here a wealth of written and oral information to reveal the significance of making and wearing lei and their role in Hawaiian ritual and dance. This volume covers eighty-five flowers and plants (and another dozen color variations) used in traditional lei construction. They are arranged according to their Hawaiian names and accompanied by botanical information and descriptions gleaned from legends and chants that illustrate the cultural uses and special meanings of lei prior to Western contact. Many are introduced by poems written especially for this work by master kumu hula, linguist, and ethnologist Pualani Kanakaole Kanahele. The authors present the lei art form in not only words, but also pictures. Lavish color photographs by Jean Coté showcase each plant and lei (shown by itself or worn), as well as places throughout the Islands associated with specific flowers and plants. An appendix includes a complete list of lei plants, basic instructions for their propagation, and other sources for material.