The giving and Receiving of Flower leis in Hawaii
Couples and guest coming to Hawaii should know that leis are not just an ornamental cluster of flowers. These are also among the greatest means of saying hello, farewell, thank you, congratulations, or even I love you. The tradition of presenting leis could be pinpointed down to the actual roots of the islands. Based from the locals’ customary chants, the very first lei was made out of Lehua blossoms and this was presented by Hiiaka to her sister Pele, which is the Hawaiian volcano goddess, on a beach located in Puna

          Best man here is wearing a tea leaf lei with rainbow
plumeria entwined in the green leaf, its customary for the groom to wear a tea leaf lei

Back in the olden times, the leis given to the high-ranking officers called alii were complemented with a respectful bow because it was not allowed for commoners to lift their arms even higher than the head of their king. It was not until World War II that the leis were presented together with a kiss. This custom was frequently credited to a Hawaiian entertainer who was dared to kiss an officer and after kissing him, she proceeded to give him a lei, explaining that what she did was an ancient Hawaiian tradition. Of course, that was not true then, but it sure is nowadays.

The process of making lei is a true Hawaiian art form. All leis are tenderly prepared by hand in an assortment of native patterns. There are some leis that are stitched with numerous delicate shells or blooms as well as small pieces of leaves or ferns. There are several leis that are coiled, some are actually braided and there are also those that are strung. The common denominator of these leis is that all of them are given to guests with love.

the dads and moms of the bridal couple, the moms are wearing sweet white ginger leis and fathers are wearing kukui shell leis with tea leaf

Each Hawaiian Island possesses its personal special flower for their leis, or what they call the lei of their island. For Oahu, their preference is a tiny orange flower named Ilima. Those from the Big Island favor a huge, fragile red puff called Lehua. Maui’s choice is a little rose named Lokelani. The selection of Kauai is the Mokihana and it is a sweet-scented green vine as well as berry. On the island of Molokai, their favorite is the Kukui, which is the Candlenut Tree’s white blossom. For Lanai, they love the Kaunaoa and it is a vivid yellow moss. The natives of Niihau utilize their island's various seashells in order to create leis that used to be treasured by the Hawaiian royalty and these are valued at a small fortune these days.

Leis are the ideal icon for the Hawaiian Islands. Their scent and splendor are thoroughly enjoyed but then, even after they fade away, travelers would still feel the aloha spirit when they think about these precious flower necklaces