Hawaiian Leis | Facts, Materials, Types, and How To Make Them (2024)

Hawaiian leis, like the flavors of fresh poke bowls and the graceful motions of hula dance, are synonymous with Hawaiian culture – their vibrant colors and intricate designs represent the spirit of aloha, woven into the fabric of life on the islands.

Once signifying wealth and status, worn by Hawaiian royalty, leis have since come to represent a gesture of welcome and gratitude, a sign of respect, and a token of love. Each flower embodies the beauty and warmth of aloha, as unique and stunning as the eight islands themselves.

Flowers – The Heart of a Lei

Flowers and leaves are the most common starting materials for making a Hawaiian lei, although traditionally, they could also include seeds, nuts, bones, and shells. Orchids, with their elegant petals and soft colors, are a perennial favorite and world-renowned on the Hilo side of the Big Island. Plumerias, with their bright yellows and accents of white and pink, are also perfect in any lei, their sweet fragrance adding a special touch.

Each Hawaiian island has a specific flower associated with its trademark lei; Ohi’a Lehua, which thrives anywhere from sea level to 8,000 feet, is the Big Island’s lei flower of choice. Its distinctive red flower symbolizes love, like the whites and pinks found on orchids, carnations, and other traditional lei flowers.

Make Your Own One-of-a-Kind Lei

Non-Hawaiians are welcome to make a lei, give one to someone special, or wear one for any occasion, and weaving a Hawaiian lei by hand is a must-do experience while visiting our Big Island bed and breakfast.

Our lei-making workshops walk you through the process, starting with an assortment of flowers and threading a needle and twine through the center of flowers that have had their stems removed. You’ll have the choice of making one or both of the most common types of lei – lei haku, where flowers are strung together into a loop and worn around the head, and lei kui, which are the classic large loops of flowers formed into a necklace and draped over the shoulders.

We are grateful to work with Debbie, one of our cherished neighbors in Volcano Villages. She brings her lei-making expertise, wisdom, and a welcoming aloha presence to our private lei-making workshops. You’ll learn from her the significance of each type of flower and enjoy weaving gorgeous leis together, embracing Hawaiian culture in a hands-on way.

After making your lei, you can return it to the cycle of nature on the Big Island, either by throwing the flower petals into the ocean (legend has it that if the flowers wash back to the sand, you’re bound to return to the islands again) or spreading them on the land. Or, even better, you can bring your handmade lei home, a lovely and lasting reminder of your Hawaiian getaway.

If you have already made your reservation, just contact us to request to have our lei-making workshop added to your reservations, or if you are just booking you can add the class to your stay in the booking engine.

Join us at our Hawaii bed and breakfast and make a lei of your own, and embrace the aloha spirit!