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Native Hawaiian Leis for May Day

Posted: May 1, 2009

Since May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii, I would like to showcase several authentic Hawaiian leis made exclusively with native flowers and plants found along Hawaii’s trails.

For several years now I have been collaborating with Brian Choy, renowned lei-maker and artist, to recreate floral leis made exclusively with material available to the Polynesians prior to the arrival of Captain Cook in 1778.  The collaboration involves me gathering material in the native forests and Brian painstakingly crafting them into traditional leis. 

Since many of the native flowers and plants are no longer plentiful, the leis are actualy just lei segments no more than 10 inches long.  As a result the photos are close-ups which highlight the native plant material and fine level of craftsmanship. 

This authentic Hawaiian lei made by Brian Choy is crafted in the traditional wili style with: (1) yellow lehua flowers, (2) orange ohai flowers, (3) purple pohinahina flowers, and (4) green pohinahina leaves and (5) green palapalai ferns.  The photos below are close-ups of the plant material that comprise the lei. 

Yellow lehua is much rarer than red and was reserved for the ali’i (chiefs) in old Hawaii.  This yellow lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) was taken along the trail through Puu Makaala Natural Area Reserve in Volcano on the Big Island. 

Ohai is an endangered species that was once reduced to only several dozen specimens but which has since made a comeback at Kaena Point. This photo of red-orange ohai flowers (Sesbania tomentosa) above was taken along the coastal trail at Kaena Point on the western most tip of Oahu. 

Pohinahina can be found in great numbers on the beaches at the very end of the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali Coast of Kauai. This photo of pohinahina flowers (Vitex rotundifolia) above was also taken at Kaena Point. 

Some of the most robust palapalai ferns (Microlepia strigosa) can be found along the native trail at Kalopa State Park on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island.  On Oahu, palapalai ferns can be found on the Waianae-Kaala and Mokuleia Trails in the Waianae Mountains. 

This 1o inch yellow lehua, ohai, pohinahina lei segment is actually connected to a 10 inch red lehua and iliahi lei sgement.  To see more of the red lehua and iliahi lei, click on this link: red lehua-iliahi lei.  To see additional native leis made by Brian Choy, click on these links: red lehua leis, and yellow and orange lehua leis.

Many thanks to Brian Choy for making these strikingly beautiful native leis and for allowing me to photograph them.

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