Word of the Day: Pāpale

Your pāpale [paah-pah-leh] is your hat. A lei pāpale is a lei you wear on your hat. It might be a lei haku, a lei wili, a lei humu papa, or any other style. But if it is on your hat, it also is a lei pāpale!

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Word of the Day – Ihi

Lei maile
The lei maile is much cherished for its sweet anise-like fragrance.

ihi – To peel or strip bark or fruit, as when stripping bark for lei maile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn more lei-making terms with Hua ʻŌlelo Lei, a Lei Maker’s Glossary, available for only 99 cents on Amazon.

Word of the Day – ʻEhipa

ʻehipa – Somewhat crooked. Experienced lei makers carefully sort their materials, and keep the tension even when making a lei so that it is not ʻehipa.

Nānā ʻole nā lima, ʻehipa ka lei. The hands don’t pay attention, the lei is crooked.

“My kūpuna who taught me lei making said that they could tell a person’s mental state by looking at the lei the person was making. If it was ʻehipa, a bit crooked, out of kilter, not evenly made, they would say the person’s mind was distracted, a bit out of kilter. They would advise doing something soothing, and then coming back to the lei with more focus.” ~Leilehua Yuen

Learn more lei-making terms with Hua ʻŌlelo Lei, a Lei Maker’s Glossary, available for only 99 cents on Amazon.

Word of the Day – ʻAʻai

‘A’ai – Bright or vivid, as when colors contrast with each other. For example, when a yellow feather lei is worn on a black velvet holokū (traditional Hawaiian gown), the feathers appear more bright and lustrous, and the velvet appears more dark and rich.

Learn more lei-making terms with Hua ʻŌlelo Lei, a Lei Maker’s Glossary, available for only 99 cents on Amazon.