Lei Makers!
Most of us have received leis, a few of us have made leis. Joyous and smiling Rotarians gathered to string flowers, leaves, and hairy strings for the installation of the officers and board members of the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay for the year 2026 to 2027!.
Under the encouraging tutelage of Janell Kuamo’o and Geoli Ng, we listened carefully, we tried to get our fingers to do what our minds were saying, and we kept wondering how stringing these various things together will become a beautiful lei.
Nevertheless, we did not give up. There was Kevin Reardon with a serious smile slowly winding hairy strings of Royal Blue and Gold, our Rotary Colors, around a Boba Tea straw with a long ribbon trailing the end of the straw. Next to him was Patrick Bodell and his special friend Fanny Kwan beginning their lei journey with a similar set up, but with half the lei Royal Blue and the other half Gold. And, on the other side of Kevin sat our incoming President, Jan Abundo with her never fading smile and she had a look of confidence on what she was doing.
Janell quickly assessed that I had the ability to follow what Patrick and Fanny were doing. I was so impressed with my emerging lei, until I found the end of my ribbon had untied itself and everything, I did unravel. Bryan Lindsey was next to me, and he was making the same kind of lei, and I saw a hint of glee seeing my unraveling lei. But he didn’t laugh. So, I started all over echoing Janell’s instructions, “Not too tight, not too loose!” Thought of Auntie Marialani skit by Rap Reiplinger, preparing her chicken.
Amazingly, the hairy strings after endless winding were now leis! I was so proud of myself. Then came making a lei from Star of Egypt leaves, leaves that were skillfully plucked from branches by Anita Cunningham. I have two plants growing in my yard for years and I finally found out I can make leis out of the leaves! Again, patient instructions from Janell. Fold the leaves from Anita and poke through near the folded ends with this foot long needle. My engineering mind started to calculate how long this would take me, wondering if there was enough life in me to finish. One leaf at a time and believe it or not, I had a beautiful lei! How you figah?
With my side eyes look, I watched Geoli weaving ti leaves into a beautiful ti leaf lei. She started weaving with strands of leaves tied to her big toe. Now I know why we have a big toe. It is to make ti leaf leis! I did wonder, “What about the other toes?”
Jan strung white orchids together and I thought about how that lei will bring a smile from the person receiving it. I have never seen a person not smile when they receive a lei with a warm hug.
Lei making is an ancient Hawaiian tradition embedded deeply in the culture. Both the person making the lei and the person receiving the lei are honored, because the lei is crafted with love and then received with love. Instant happiness is created when a lei is given and received.
Mahalo to our lei makers of the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay for creating many smiles the next morning!