Native Hawaiian Student Services (NHSS) at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� hosted a May 1 campus event, held on a day widely recognized as “Lei Day” across Hawaiʻi, inviting students to look beyond the beauty of lei and reflect on its deeper cultural significance. The free event featured hands-on workshops and a first-ever lei panel, all centered on one message: lei is more than decoration.

“We want students to understand that lei is not surface level,” said Jordan Kalawaiʻa Nunies, NHSS Program and research assistant, and event organizer. “Lei is not purple orchids that could be bought at the grocery store. It’s a medium that connects people to ʻāina, akua, moʻomeheu.”

Hands-on learning

Throughout the day, students took part in a range of lei-making workshops designed for all experience levels.

Participants created lei from fresh plants, explored crochet techniques and tried their hand at the growing trend of “forever lei” which can be made from materials such as clay, paper and other creative mediums.

Living tradition

A highlight of the event was the inaugural lei panel, featuring three ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� students recognized as loea in their respective practices, specializing in lei made from lāʻau (plants), hulu (feathers) and pūpū (shells).

Among them was Kekai Paracuelles, a graduate student in Hawaiian studies, whose journey with lei pūpū began on the shores of Waialua.

Raised on ��ʻ�����’s North Shore, Paracuelles grew up doing many activities at the beach with his ʻohana, which included gathering shells. His deeper interest took hold in high school after noticing what he thought was a flower lei on a Nā Palapalai album cover, only to realize it was intricately crafted from shells.

That moment led him to research Niʻihau-style lei pūpū and eventually connect with master practitioners, including ʻAwapuhi Kahale. Over time, those connections deepened. He would then meet members of the Kanahele ʻohana, including the grandchildren of the late lei master and Niʻihau matriarch Mama Ane, who shared their lei knowledge. He now refers to them as his hānai ʻohana Niʻihau (Niʻihau family).

For Paracuelles, learning lei pūpū became less about the craft and more about the relationships it created.

“It’s really that strong pilina now that I have with the ʻohana… it’s not even most of the time about pūpū, it’s just spending time together,” Paracuelles said. “There’s so much aloha I have for them, I would do anything for them.”

Student impact

Hope Matsumoto, a ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� graduate student in English, said the lei panel featuring Paracuelles, Uluwehi Ah Choy and Tehina Kahikina left a lasting impression. Hearing directly from the student practitioners gave her a deeper appreciation for the connection between people and environment.

“I appreciated their ability to really kilo their environments and to build these relationships with their ʻāina,” Matsumoto said. “It showed me how much intention it takes to rebuild that pilina with our environments.”

For students, the event offered more than new lei making skills, it deepened their understanding of place and practice.