| People are getting lei'd in Hawaii every day. No,not | | | | The presentation of a lei with a kiss was rumoured |
| the dirty thought you may have in your mind. | | | | to have started during world war 2 when a |
| What exactly is a Hawaiian lei then? Well, a lei is a | | | | entertainer dancer kissed an American officer on a |
| beautiful tropical floral or sea shell garland made and | | | | dare. That was presumed to have started the |
| stringed together from sweet fragrant tropical | | | | tradition of presentation of a lei with a a kiss on the |
| flowers and usually presented to visitors to Hawaii to | | | | cheek. |
| be draped around their necks by beautiful Hawaiian | | | | Making a lei is a complicated artistic art form. All leis |
| native girls. The lei is a welcoming gesture and as well | | | | are handmade in a variety of patterns and styles. |
| as gift to tourists, VIPs or simply to people the | | | | Some are sewn with hundreds of flowers or sea |
| Hawaiian people appreciates. | | | | shells and some others, a mixture of leaves and |
| Hawaiian natives are very proud of their tradition, | | | | ferns. Every Hawaiian island has its own special flower |
| custom and culture and they are also very polite | | | | for making the lei. On the island of Muai, leis are made |
| people.That is why the lei is so much more than | | | | from rose. On Oahu, it is the orange ilima flower. On |
| merely just a simple decorative necklace of flowers | | | | Hawaii's Big Island, leis are made from the lehua |
| and sea shells. They are the Hawaiian way of saying | | | | blossoms, the same flowers used by Hiiaka when she |
| hello,congratulations, respect, welcome, sympathy or | | | | put the first Hawaiian lei on Pele. |
| a loving couple's gift to say "I love you". According to | | | | On the island of Molokai, kukui is the preferred flower |
| Hawaiian legends, the first lei was given by Hiiaka, the | | | | and in Kauai, the mokihana is the choice for making |
| sister of the volcano goddess Pele. Hiiaka garlanded | | | | the lei. On Lanai, it is the kaunaoa and in Niihau, they |
| Pele with a lei of the fragrant lehua flower blossoms. | | | | prefer sea shells leis instead of flowers and blossoms. |
| The leis were traditionally given to high ranking village | | | | Leis are available everywhere in Hawaii. You can find |
| tribal chiefs and accompanied by a bow by the giver. | | | | them at the airport, lei shops especially in Maunakea |
| This was because it was forbidden for common | | | | Street, in Chinatown and other tourist areas. You can |
| villagers to raise their arms higher than the village | | | | even ask your tour company to send you a lei |
| chief's head. | | | | greeter to welcome you at the airport. |