#Hawaiian flower lei

[plumerialeigreetings]

Hawaiian Lei Greeting: A Timeless Tradition & Travel Guide for First-Timers

Hawaii, the Aloha State, is famous for its stunning landscapes, warm hospitality, and unique traditions. One of the most cherished customs in Hawaiian culture is the lei greeting, a warm and symbolic way to welcome visitors, celebrate special occasions, and express love and respect. If you're traveling to Hawaii for the first time, experiencing a lei greeting can be a memorable way to start your journey. In this guide, we’ll explore the history and significance of the lei, different types of leis, where to get them, and tips for first-time visitors.

The History and Significance of the Hawaiian Lei

The tradition of the Hawaiian lei dates back centuries to the Polynesians, who brought the custom with them when they first settled in Hawaii. Leis were originally made from natural materials such as shells, feathers, and bones, along with flowers and leaves. Over time, leis became a symbol of hospitality, friendship, honor, and celebration.

Hawaiian royalty, called ali’i, adorned themselves with elaborate leis to display their status. Leis were also exchanged during religious ceremonies, hula dances, and special events. Today, leis remain a universal symbol of Hawaiian culture and are given to visitors as a sign of Aloha spirit—Hawaii’s famous hospitality and love.

Types of Hawaiian Leis

Leis come in many different forms, each with its own meaning and significance. Here are some of the most popular types of Hawaiian leis:

1. Fresh Flower Lei

Made from fragrant flowers like plumeria, orchids, pikake, and tuberose.

Commonly given to greet visitors at the airport or hotels.

Used for celebrations such as weddings, birthdays, and graduations.

2. Maile Lei

Made from maile leaves, a native Hawaiian plant.

Traditionally worn by Hawaiian royalty and used in special ceremonies.

Often given at weddings and graduations to symbolize honor and respect.

3. Kukui Nut Lei

Made from polished kukui nuts strung together.

A durable alternative to flower leis, commonly worn by men and hula dancers.

Symbolizes enlightenment, protection, and peace.

4. Shell Lei

Made from delicate seashells, often found on the island of Ni'ihau.

A valuable and rare type of lei, considered a cultural treasure.

Commonly gifted as a token of appreciation or used in formal events.

5. Ti Leaf Lei

Crafted from twisted ti leaves, often worn by hula dancers and athletes.

Associated with good luck, protection, and prosperity.

Can be worn fresh or dried and is often used in spiritual ceremonies.

Where to Experience a Hawaiian Lei Greeting

If you're a first-time visitor to Hawaii, you may be wondering where to receive an authentic lei greeting. Here are the best places to experience this heartwarming tradition:

1. Honolulu International Airport (HNL)

Several companies offer pre-arranged lei greetings upon arrival.

A welcoming host will greet you with a fresh lei and take photos.

You can book a lei greeting service online before your trip.

2. Hotels and Resorts

Many luxury hotels and resorts offer lei greetings as part of their check-in process.

Some hotels provide fresh flower leis, while others may offer kukui nut leis for men.

3. Cultural Events and Luaus

Attending a luau (Hawaiian feast) often includes a lei greeting as part of the experience.

Cultural events, such as the Merrie Monarch Festival, frequently feature lei exchanges.

4. Local Flower Shops and Markets

Visit a flower market or lei stand to purchase your own fresh lei.

Some popular places include the Honolulu Chinatown Lei Stands and the Hilo Farmers Market.

Etiquette and Tips for First-Timers

When receiving a lei for the first time, it’s important to be aware of Hawaiian customs and etiquette:

Do’s

Accept the lei with gratitude. It is considered disrespectful to refuse a lei.

Wear the lei around your shoulders, not like a necklace. It should rest gently on both shoulders.

Enjoy the moment. The giving of a lei is a meaningful gesture—smile and say "Mahalo" (thank you)!

Preserve the lei if possible. Some people choose to dry or refrigerate their leis to keep them longer.

Don’ts

Never remove a lei in front of the person who gave it to you. If you must take it off, do so discreetly.

Avoid tossing the lei in the trash. Instead, return it to nature by placing it in the ocean or burying it.

Do not refuse a lei with a sour face. Even if you have allergies, accept it with appreciation and place it in your hands.

Fun Activities Involving Leis

To enhance your Hawaiian experience, try these activities centered around leis:

Lei-Making Workshops

Many cultural centers and hotels offer lei-making classes where you can create your own flower lei.

Learn the significance of different materials and weaving techniques.

Lei Day Celebration

May 1st is Lei Day in Hawaii, a statewide celebration honoring the art of lei-making.

Festivals feature music, hula performances, and lei-making contests.

Photo Sessions with Leis

Capture beautiful memories by booking a Hawaiian photoshoot while wearing a flower lei.

Many tour companies offer sunset or beach photoshoots with leis provided.

Conclusion

The Hawaiian lei greeting is more than just a welcome—it’s a heartfelt symbol of love, respect, and the Aloha spirit. Whether you receive a fresh flower lei at the airport, purchase a handcrafted kukui nut lei, or participate in a lei-making class, this tradition will leave a lasting impression on your Hawaiian adventure. By embracing the custom with gratitude and following proper etiquette, you’ll not only enhance your trip but also show appreciation for Hawaii’s rich cultural heritage.

So, on your first trip to Hawaii, be sure to say “Aloha” with a lei—and immerse yourself in this timeless tradition!

[ranatsume]

7.2.24

African violet 'Shirl’s Hawaiian Lei'

The flowers are more purple this time!

[dragon-n93]

I got from the Pokémon Centre UK.

I'm happy to announce this showcase blog has now got 800 followers. Glad to see that people are still enjoying my content, Thanks!

[nickysfacts]

Wearing a tiaré flower in your ear is such a small and simplistic thing, yet it carries so much history and culture with it!

🇵🇫🇹🇴🇼🇸

[pipelinegear]

Flower power on Lei Day… Aloha from paradise and let’s get caught up in the spirit! 🌸🌊🌺🌴

[thetaoofzoe]

The Hawaiian flower headpiece/Crown is called Haku Lei .

[raisunomii]

Back on my Hawaiian Iwaizumi brainrot he’s from Kauai he brings Oikawa to meet his family (moms side) for the summer and spends most of his time

1.) fishing

2.) making sure Oikawa is stocked with flowers

Oikawa isn’t opposed to the flowers but he’s not seeking them out. Iwa gives them to him and he goes thank u Hajime very nice and tucks them behind his ear or wears his lei for the rest of the day but that’s all that is. He doesn’t think a lot about this.

Iwaizumi Hajime, age 19, is fully convinced he’s the provider of this family. He’s hustling. He’s on his spear fishing, musubi preparing, flower gathering grind. This man wakes up and goes if I don’t make my man a lei by 6am I’m a failure. Breakfast is cooked by 7.

Oikawa is unaware of the trenches his boyfriend is in. Iwaizumi is too deep now to back out. He buys another chain.

[yourfavpasifikacreator]

{No ke aha la i pau ai e like me keia ..}

Meaning: why'd it have to end like this

Clarisse la rue x Hawaiian!fem!daughter of aphrodite!reader

⚠️Warning⚠️: angst r!dies Selina a clarisse crying

Summary: the reader sacrificed themselves for Selina.

A/n: sorry guys I have really bad writing skills- but enjoy!

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.

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Your gaze fell upon Selina failing to defeat the lydian drakon your sister Selina in fact it was going to kill her your heart raced as you ran as fast as you could to save her she closed her eyes and you Selina was alive but you fell on the ground backwards your thick flowing long curly hair that was on the side of you beautiful face Selina opened one of her eye she was alive but she looked at her older sister a her jaw-dropped covering her mouth she went to the side of you a held your hand and cried out loudly "SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME..!" You grasped her hand softly "I've always loved, you my dear beautiful sister and I always will but I want you to tell clarisse.." you said weakly your loving girlfriend clarisse is still fighting as your gaze fell upon her fighting you weakly took your bracelet off it was customized like a lei but smaller it has the beautiful pattern from your island the design was a hibiscus flower but something was written on it and it was in Hawaiian "Inā e wehe ʻia kēia mai koʻu lima, ua hala au akā makemake wau e ʻōlelo ʻo kaʻu hoaaloha a me koʻu kaikuahine ka mea maikaʻi loa i loaʻa i loko o koʻu ola aloha wau iā ʻolua..." Selina choked out tears at this point seeing the bracelets word why was nobody coming she thought sobbing you caressed your sisters face wiping the tears off her face you smiled softly "oua, don't cry, baba ill always be with you.." you smiled weakly clarisse stopped fighting a quickly made her way to Selina a you she gazed in utter disbelief the love her life was perishing before her eyes Selina looked away she couldn't bear the pain of seeing your face anymore you mumbled "don't blame each other, clarisse," you spoke stuttering in your sentence your soft voice "take my bracelet.." and then you spoke for the last time "my one wish clarisse, don't hide from others there is going to be many who loves you other than me so don't hide yourself from love and look after my sister please my love.." clarisse had tears coming out of her she replied "this is not fair, don't leave me, don't you dare go and leave without" Selina spoke "Aloha au iā ʻoe, ʻaʻole au e poina iā ʻoe.." they both hated the gods for taking you away your eyes closed with with tears strolling down the side of your face clarisse gently caressed your beautiful face gifted by your mother now cold your eyes peacefully shut clarisse a Selina sobbing in pain clarisse kissed your cold skin crying in to your chest holding the bracelet to her heart or to the empty spot where her heart was and put her forehead on yours you twos nose together for the last time she wish she could go back in time..

[handless-and-dangerous]

Collecting Flowers Part 1!

Luck wanted to collect some flowers, so we agreed to help him.

These are perfect! Thanks Sarge :)

That's what I'm here for, son.

These are gomphrena globosa or, Globe Amaranth, from the Amaranthaceae family. If you are interested in Hawaiian culture, it will fascinate you to know that these flowers are often used in long-lasting lei garlands.

Alright then... I guess I know that now.

Part of the reason I'm fascinated by plants is because of their cultural significance on many worlds-- *launches into galactic plant commentary*

Bonus:

Higher Kit! Higher!

[samovar225]

since Pokey is from Hawaii, and the New Year is coming soon and Christmas was just recently, She decided to give everyone a gift in the form of a Lei! 🌺🌺🌺(Traditional Hawaiian flower necklace)

(If you want, you can add to this post your OC who received this gift)

[ranatsume]

3.2.24

African violet 'Shirl’s Hawaiian Lei'

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - May 1-7

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi! Also, if you tip me on Ko-fi, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week - almost double the content!

1. New study says conservation works, providing hope for biodiversity efforts

“A new study published in Science reveals that conservation works, with conservation actions improving or slowing the decline of biodiversity in two-thirds of the cases analyzed.”

2. Monk Seal Pup Debuts in Waikīkī on Lei Day

“Endangered Hawaiian monk seal RK96 (Kaiwi) gave birth to her sixth pup on popular Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī, Oʻahu! […] Hawaiian monk seals are one of the most endangered seal species in the world, so each pup represents hope for the species’ recovery.”

3. West Coast Indigenous-led marine conservation area gets global spotlight

“A coastal First Nation is celebrating global recognition of its marine protected area after recently snagging a “blue park” designation that highlights exemplary ocean conservation efforts around the world. […] Kitasu Bay supports one of the last abundant herring spawns along the central coast, vital to the nation’s communal herring roe on kelp (ROK) fishery - which harvests the protein-rich eggs but leaves the fish alive to flourish and spawn again.”

4. The number of fish on US overfishing list reaches an all-time low. Mackerel and snapper recover

“The report states that 94% of fish stocks are not subject to overfishing, which is slightly better than a year ago. The U.S. was able to remove several important fish stocks from the overfishing list, NOAA said in a statement. […] The removal of species from the overfishing list shows the U.S. is making progress, said Rick Spinrad, NOAA’s administrator.”

5. Researchers Collaborate with the Shipping Industry to Cut Costs, Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Shipping

“Through coordinated ship scheduling and an optimisation of ship operations and port services, the objective is to achieve a substantial increase in energy efficiency and a 10-20% reduction in fuel consumption, consequently resulting in lowered greenhouse gas emissions [and] leading to substantial economic benefits for shipping and environmental advantages for society[….]”

6. The city flower farm that is changing lives

“Heart of BS13 Flowers in Hartcliffe is part of the wider Heart of BS13 charity which tackles food insecurity in south Bristol. Profits from the flower sales to run workshops, offer volunteer and trainee placements, and create education opportunities for people from Hartcliffe.”

7. Four falcon chicks hatch in Glasgow university tower

“Members of the [Glasgow Peregrine] project hope to […] fit [the chicks] with electronic tags that will enable monitoring of their movements. Mr Simpson added: "With the identification tags we can see where they have gone, how high they fly and other information that would be really useful." In recent years the group have held peregrine watches at the university, allowing people to see the birds in their nest.”

8. 'Banana pingers' are saving whales and dolphins around the world

“[T]he Kibel brothers, Pete (a fisheries biologist) and Ben (an engineer) […] have been utilising light to protect turtles, sound to protect porpoises and electro pulses to protect sharks. [… Trials] showed reduced average catch rates of blue shark by 91%, and catch rates of pelagic stingray by 71% […as well as] a fall in the number of sea turtles being trapped by 42%.”

9. New vaccine effective against coronaviruses that haven't even emerged yet

“Researchers have developed a new vaccine technology that has been shown in mice to provide protection against a broad range of coronaviruses with potential for future disease outbreaks -- including ones we don't even know about. […] The new vaccine works by training the body's immune system to recognise specific regions of eight different coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and several that are currently circulating in bats and have potential to jump to humans and cause a pandemic.”

10. Grassland birds, Forest birds and Other Migratory Birds to Benefit from More Than $22 Million in Funding Throughout the Americas

“This year, more than $4.87 million in federal funds will be matched by more than $17 million in partner contributions going to 30 collaborative conservation projects in 19 countries across the Americas. “These investments will [… protect] millions of acres of diverse habitats needed by grassland birds, forest birds and shorebirds for wintering, breeding and migration,” said Service Director Martha Williams.”

April 22-28 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[iamamazingmason]

REALLY down to the wire with this one. But (as of posting) it’s not midnight in Hawaii yet!

Prompt was “Golem” (so my mind went GOLEM> STATUE> TIKI> WOOD CARVINGS >WOODEN CARVED MASKS > OGREPON)

Which is perfect because this is an Ogrepon Divergent Evo.

OGREPOM (like palm) is only currently found in Alola. Her mask bares markings on the forehead, which match the colors of the 4 Tapus. Perhaps they are linked somehow? 🤔

(TBH this one was really special for me, having grown up on Oahu for 13 yrs. I love the Alola region games, since they remind me so much of home. And I can’t wait until Gamefreak revisits them one day)

Keen eyes will spot a lot of the things that went into this design. From striking a hula dance pose, to her hair/arms being the leaves of a taro plant. In her hair is a flower from Comfey’s lei. She has orbs resembling a kukui nut lei. She not only has grass skirt, but even has Kupe’e (ankle leis) incorporated into her design.

Her guardian mask is based around tiki statues. With a Mahiole (Hawaiian feather helmet) and Ikaika warrior helmet, inspired looks towards the upper half.

Hope y’all like her. Mahalo. Back tomorrow with another one.

[love-for-carnation]

Poni-mo i Quilt This Hawaiian quilt celebrates the carnation flower. The plant was introduced to the islands by settlers in the first half of the nineteenth century. It quickly became one of the most popular flowers for leis – the floral garlands used at flower festivals.

[tothemettle]

Calotropis gigantea, aka Crown Flower is used all across South East Asia for a multitude of purposes ,, pillow stuffing, making bow strings and even poison tipping arrows. They were favored by the Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani, who considered them a symbol of royalty and wore them strung into leis. [Calotropis gigantea - Wikipedia] The photo was taken with an iPhone X R, from about 6" from the flower with flash-fill. [Flash switched on.] No other enhancements or techy anything were deployed.

[emmatheyoshi]

Yes, another Lalaloopsy redesign. I have art block, ok? Anyway, this time It’s Mango and Kiwi Tiki Wiki….I can’t tell whose name is worse, theirs or Feather’s original name.

Like with Feather, the first thing I did was color pick their skin tone from an image of an actual Hawaiian person. I also noticed that native Hawaiians tend to have more brownish hair, so I gave them dark-reddish brown hair. Native Hawaiian women also tend to have long hair, so I gave them new hairstyles: Mango having a loose braid and Kiwi’s hair being down. I also gave them sandals rather than….whatever the hell Mango had shoe-wise (seriously, wtf are those?). Next was clothes, I searched for a good while before using Nani and Lilo’s outfits for inspiration. Mango got a tankini with shorts and a crop top over it, and Kiwi got a flower print dress.

I made Mango’s bird a bird that just so happens to look like a pineapple opposed to the other way around, and Kiwi’s coconut into a chocolate lab. Finally, their names and birthdays. Mango became Maui (left) and Kiwi became Kau’i (right). Their last name, Ailana, means loving. As for birthdays, Maui’s birthday is June 11 (Kamehameha Day) and Kau’i’s is May 1 (May/Lei day). I also changed their sewn material to silk flowers, as flowers seem to be a big symbol in Hawaiian culture.

Once again, I am calling upon native Hawaiian people to critique these designs if they run across this picture.