Flowers hold profound sacred significance in Hawaiian mythology, woven into the fabric of religious practice, social hierarchy, storytelling, and daily life. In the Hawaiian worldview, flowers are not merely botanical specimens but living manifestations of gods, ancestors, and spiritual power (mana). The islands’ unique ecology created flower traditions found nowhere else on Earth, while Polynesian migration brought additional floral knowledge that merged with indigenous beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Hawaiian cosmology, akua<\/strong> (gods, spirits, deified ancestors) manifest through natural forms, including flowers. Each bloom carries mana<\/strong> (spiritual power, divine energy) that can be accessed, transferred, and utilized through proper protocol. Flowers served as kinolau\u2014physical body forms\u2014of various deities, making them literally divine presence made visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The concept of kapu<\/strong> (sacred restrictions) governed flower use. Certain flowers were kapu to commoners, reserved exclusively for ali’i (royalty) and kahuna (priests). Violating these restrictions brought death, not as punishment but as natural consequence\u2014touching what carried too much mana without proper spiritual preparation destroyed the unprepared person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lehua blossom<\/strong> of the \u02bb\u014dhi\u02bba tree (Metrosideros polymorpha<\/em>) is perhaps the most sacred flower in Hawaiian mythology, intimately connected to Pele<\/strong>, the volcano goddess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most famous lehua legend tells of a handsome warrior named \u02bb\u014chi\u02bba and a beautiful woman named Lehua who loved each other deeply. When Pele saw \u02bb\u014chi\u02bba, she desired him for herself and demanded he become her lover. \u02bb\u014chi\u02bba refused, declaring his love for Lehua. Enraged by the rejection, Pele transformed \u02bb\u014chi\u02bba into a twisted tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lehua was devastated, weeping constantly for her lost love. The other gods took pity on her suffering and transformed her into the red blossom on the \u02bb\u014dhi\u02bba tree, reuniting the lovers forever. They remain inseparable\u2014whenever you see an \u02bb\u014dhi\u02bba tree, Lehua blooms upon it, and they can never be parted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hawaiian tradition warns that picking lehua blossoms causes rain\u2014Lehua weeping for being separated from \u02bb\u014chi\u02bba. This belief serves practical purposes (preventing overharvesting) and spiritual ones (teaching that separating what the gods have joined brings sorrow). Some say the rain is Pele’s tears of regret for her jealous cruelty, while others claim it’s Kane, the rain god, crying for the lovers’ fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, many Hawaiians gather lehua respectfully with proper protocol\u2014asking permission, explaining the purpose, taking only what’s needed, and leaving offerings. When approached with respect and aloha, lehua can be gathered without rain, as the flowers recognize proper intention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond the lovers’ legend, lehua is a kinolau of Pele herself. The red blossoms represent volcanic fire, the tree’s ability to be first growth on new lava flows symbolizes Pele’s creative power, and the flower’s mana connects directly to the volcano goddess. Lei made from lehua carry Pele’s presence and protection, particularly important for those living on or near active volcanoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yellow lehua blossoms are especially rare and sacred, considered Pele’s most precious manifestation. Finding yellow lehua was a sign of divine favor, and lei made from them were reserved for highest ali’i or most sacred ceremonies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hibiscus<\/strong> (Hibiscus<\/em> species, particularly the native H. brackenridgei<\/em>) called pua aloalo<\/strong> or ma\u02bbo hau hele<\/strong> holds complex symbolism in Hawaiian tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yellow hibiscus (H. brackenridgei<\/em>) was kapu to all except highest ali’i. The bright yellow blooms represented the sun, royalty, and divine right to rule. Chiefs wore hibiscus in their hair as visible declarations of their sacred status\u2014commoners seeing the yellow flower knew they stood in the presence of one descended from gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The single-day lifespan of hibiscus blooms taught lessons about beauty’s impermanence and the necessity of appreciating the present moment. Today’s glory becomes tomorrow’s faded memory\u2014a teaching that influenced Hawaiian philosophy about living fully in each moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some traditions associate hibiscus with Laka<\/strong>, goddess of hula, beauty, and wild forest growth. Hula dancers wore hibiscus in their hair and lei, invoking Laka’s presence during performances. The flower’s vibrant beauty and sensual form made it appropriate for the goddess of dance and aesthetic expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Red hibiscus carried martial symbolism. Warriors going to battle would wear red hibiscus to invoke courage and fighting spirit. The flower’s bold color represented blood that would be spilled, while its delicate nature reminded warriors that life was fragile\u2014encouraging them to fight fiercely because death could come swiftly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interestingly, the placement of hibiscus flowers in hair carried social messages. A flower behind the right ear signaled availability for courtship, while behind the left ear indicated the person was taken. This subtle communication system prevented social awkwardness and respected existing relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pikake<\/strong> (Jasminum sambac<\/em>, Arabian jasmine) holds special place in Hawaiian culture despite being introduced rather than native. The name means “peacock,” given by Princess Ka\u02bbiulani who loved both the flowers and the peacocks that roamed her estate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Princess Ka\u02bbiulani’s love for pikake elevated it to royal status. The intensely fragrant white blossoms became associated with Hawaiian royalty, romance, and the tragic beauty of the kingdom’s final years before annexation. Pikake lei remain highly prized, traditionally given at weddings and romantic occasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pikake’s powerful fragrance makes it ideal for lei\u2014the scent lingers, surrounding the wearer with sweet perfume. This lasting quality symbolizes enduring love and memories that don’t fade. The white color represents purity and sincere emotion, making pikake appropriate for sacred occasions and declarations of true feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though not native and lacking ancient mythology, pikake demonstrates how Hawaiian culture adapts and incorporates new elements, creating contemporary traditions that honor both innovation and continuity with the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pua kenikeni<\/strong> (Fagraea berteroana<\/em>) earned its name because the fragrant flowers once sold for ten cents each. Despite the commercial name, the flower holds spiritual significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pua kenikeni blossoms open white, gradually transforming through cream to yellow and finally orange-brown before falling. This color progression symbolizes life stages: the white of innocent youth, the yellow of productive adulthood, and the orange-brown of elder wisdom. The flower teaches that each stage has its own beauty and value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The powerful, sweet fragrance of pua kenikeni became associated with memory and nostalgia. Hawaiians scattered throughout the world smell pua kenikeni and immediately return mentally to the islands, to childhood, to moments of joy and connection. This ability to trigger deep emotional memory gave the flower spiritual significance as a bridge across time and distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lokelani<\/strong> (small rose, Rosa damascena<\/em>) is Maui’s island flower. Though introduced, it gained mythological status through its association with Maui’s landscape and legends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lokelani’s pink color connects it to sunrise\u2014specifically, dawn as seen from Haleakal\u0101 (“House of the Sun”), Maui’s sacred mountain. The demigod M\u0101ui<\/strong> snared the sun at Haleakal\u0101’s summit, forcing it to move slowly across the sky so his mother’s tapa cloth could dry. The pink roses blooming on the mountain’s slopes represent the dawn light caught in that mythological moment, forever preserving the beauty of M\u0101ui’s triumph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lokelani’s intense fragrance symbolizes the aloha spirit\u2014love that fills the air around you, impossible to contain or restrict. Like the scent that spreads from the flower without diminishing the bloom itself, true aloha multiplies when shared, growing stronger through distribution rather than hoarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Naupaka<\/strong> exists in two varieties\u2014naupaka kahakai<\/strong> (beach naupaka, Scaevola taccada<\/em>) and naupaka kuahiwi<\/strong> (mountain naupaka, Scaevola gaudichaudiana<\/em>)\u2014and their flowers appear half-formed, as if torn in two. This unusual appearance generated one of Hawaiian mythology’s most poignant love stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Multiple versions exist, but the essential story tells of lovers forbidden to be together\u2014some say they were siblings who didn’t know their relation, others that they were from warring families, still others that she was betrothed to another. Unable to marry, they prayed to the gods for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gods, moved by their sincere love but unable to override kapu or fate, transformed them into naupaka flowers. The woman became beach naupaka, forever dwelling by the sea, while the man became mountain naupaka, living in the highlands. Their flowers remain half-formed, each incomplete without the other. When you place a beach naupaka blossom with a mountain naupaka blossom, they form one complete flower\u2014the lovers briefly reunited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Naupaka symbolizes impossible love, separation, longing, and incompleteness. The flowers teach that some loves, though genuine and powerful, cannot be fulfilled in this world. Yet the continuation of both species, their survival and flourishing despite being forever separated, suggests that love persists even when union is impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The story also carries warnings about the consequences of violating kapu\u2014the lovers’ transgression (whether knowing or unknowing) brought permanent separation. This reinforced social structures while acknowledging the tragedy of love that cannot be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u02bbIlima<\/strong> (Sida fallax<\/em>) with its delicate orange-yellow blossoms is O\u02bbahu’s island flower and holds special significance in Hawaiian culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u02bbIlima’s golden color connected it to ali’i nui (high chiefs). Lei \u02bbilima required hundreds or thousands of small blossoms, making them labor-intensive. Only those of highest rank warranted the extensive effort required to create these precious lei, which made them symbols of dedication, honor, and sacred status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond ornamentation, \u02bbilima possessed healing properties. The flowers and leaves treated various ailments, particularly those affecting children. This dual nature\u2014both royal symbol and healing plant\u2014elevated \u02bbilima to special status as a flower that both represented divine authority and exercised divine compassion through healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u02bbIlima’s ability to bloom year-round and grow in harsh conditions made it a symbol of persistence and adaptability. The delicate appearance belied tough resilience\u2014a lesson about not judging strength by appearance and recognizing that true power often manifests quietly rather than through dramatic display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pua kalaunu<\/strong> (Calotropis gigantea<\/em>), the crown flower, earned its name from its shape and its association with royalty. Though introduced, it gained cultural significance through use in royal lei.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Purple crown flowers became particularly associated with Hawaiian monarchy. The color purple itself was kapu in many Polynesian cultures, reserved for highest chiefs. Crown flower lei in purple honored this tradition while utilizing the new species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crown flowers maintain their beauty for extended periods after picking, making them practical for lei that needed to last through long ceremonies or multi-day events. This durability symbolized enduring authority, lasting beauty, and permanence in an impermanent world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n M\u0101mane<\/strong> (Sophora chrysophylla<\/em>) blooms with golden yellow flowers in high-altitude forests, particularly on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n M\u0101mane grows in the domain of Poli\u02bbahu<\/strong>, the snow goddess of Mauna Kea who rivals Pele. The golden flowers blooming in her snowy realm were said to be Poli\u02bbahu’s jewelry\u2014gold scattered across her white cloak. Gathering m\u0101mane required respect for Poli\u02bbahu and permission from her domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n M\u0101mane provides critical habitat for native birds, particularly the endangered palila. Hawaiian mythology recognized this connection, viewing m\u0101mane forests as gathering places for bird spirits and as kinolau of bird gods. The flowers thus carried avian mana and served as communication points between humans and bird deities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hau<\/strong> (Hibiscus tiliaceus<\/em>) with its yellow flowers turning orange and red carries multiple meanings in Hawaiian tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hau thickets provided shelter and refuge. In warfare, defeated warriors could flee into hau groves\u2014the tangled branches offered protection and hiding places. This practical use elevated hau to symbolic status as protector of the vulnerable and vanquished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like pua kenikeni, hau flowers change color through the day\u2014opening yellow in morning, turning orange by afternoon, and becoming red-orange before falling at evening. This daily transformation symbolized the sun’s journey and taught about the beauty in change and impermanence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond symbolism, hau wood provided canoe outriggers, bark made cordage, and flowers had medicinal uses. This comprehensive usefulness made hau sacred as a gift from gods that supported life in multiple ways\u2014beauty, utility, protection all combined in one plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several species of native hibiscus called k\u014dki\u02bbo<\/strong> were rare even in pre-contact times, making them especially sacred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n White k\u014dki\u02bbo was extremely rare, and lei made from these flowers were among the most sacred objects in Hawaiian culture. The pure white blooms represented direct connection to akua, spiritual purity, and kapu so intense that touching them without proper spiritual preparation could be fatal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Red k\u014dki\u02bbo symbolized Pele’s fire and sacred chiefs’ blood. Its rarity made it more valuable than gold\u2014a single blossom could cement political alliances or serve as payment for extraordinary services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The extreme rarity of k\u014dki\u02bbo species taught that some things are precious precisely because they are scarce, fleeting, and difficult to obtain. This philosophy influenced Hawaiian values around conservation, respect for nature, and appreciation for what cannot be possessed or controlled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Na\u02bbu<\/strong> (Gardenia brighamii<\/em>), the native Hawaiian gardenia, is critically endangered but held historical importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Na\u02bbu’s intense fragrance was considered the scent of gods themselves. The flowers were so precious that commoners could not wear them\u2014their mana was too intense, their connection to divine realm too direct. Chiefs who wore na\u02bbu lei literally surrounded themselves with godly presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As na\u02bbu became rare and then nearly extinct, its absence from Hawaiian life served as a painful metaphor for loss of sovereignty, culture, and traditional knowledge. Modern conservation efforts to save na\u02bbu species carry not just ecological but spiritual significance\u2014restoring the gods’ fragrance to the islands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pua melia<\/strong> (plumeria, frangipani) was introduced but gained strong cultural associations, particularly with death and cemeteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plumeria’s other name, “temple tree,” came from its use near Buddhist temples throughout Asia. In Hawai\u02bbi, this association continued\u2014plumerias were planted in cemeteries and became flowers of remembrance and connection to ancestors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The powerful, sweet fragrance of plumeria was believed to help spirits of the deceased communicate with living relatives. The scent carried messages, memories, and reassurances from the other side. Wearing plumeria lei when visiting graves honored ancestors and opened channels of communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n White plumeria lei became traditional gifts when someone was leaving Hawai\u02bbi\u2014the lei represented both farewell and hope for return. The flower’s fragrance would linger, reminding the traveler of home, while its presence promised that aloha and memories would survive separation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The creation and wearing of lei<\/strong> (garlands) represents living mythology in practice. Lei aren’t merely decorative\u2014they’re spiritual technology, carefully constructed to channel mana, honor relationships, mark sacred occasions, and maintain connections between visible and invisible worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional lei-making follows strict protocols:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each step acknowledges that flowers carry mana and spirit, and that humans have responsibilities to plants that provide beauty and power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Different occasions required specific flowers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Birth<\/strong>: Delicate, fragrant flowers like pikake for purity Coming of age<\/strong>: Strong, lasting flowers representing transition to adulthood Marriage<\/strong>: Fragrant, beautiful flowers symbolizing love and fertility Battle<\/strong>: Bold red flowers invoking warrior spirit Peace-making<\/strong>: White flowers representing purity of intention Death<\/strong>: Specific flowers like maile and \u02bbilima appropriate for funerals Honoring gods<\/strong>: Particular flowers associated with specific deities<\/p>\n\n\n\n The wrong flower for an occasion could cause offense or spiritual imbalance, making flower knowledge essential to proper social and spiritual functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hula<\/strong> (traditional Hawaiian dance) intimately connects with flowers through worship of Laka, the hula goddess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional hula training occurred in h\u0101lau (hula schools) where altars to Laka were constructed from her sacred plants\u2014particularly maile vines and pale green lama<\/strong> tree leaves, but also flowers including certain ferns considered honorary flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dancers wore elaborate flower lei during performances, each flower chosen for its connection to the hula’s story and spiritual content. The movements, chants, and flowers combined to create total artistic-spiritual expressions that honored gods, told histories, and maintained cultural knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many hula movements reference flowers\u2014hands opening like blossoms, fingers representing petals, bodies swaying like flowers in wind. The dance literally embodies flower spirit, making dancers temporary kinolau of the plants they honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The flower kapu system reinforced and symbolized Hawaiian social hierarchy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Certain flowers were kapu m\u014d\u02bb\u012b (forbidden to all except ruling chiefs). These included rare hibiscus varieties, specific lehua colors, and other precious blooms. Wearing these flowers declared divine ancestry and right to rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Priests and healers had access to flowers commoners couldn’t touch, particularly those used in healing or spiritual ceremonies. This special access marked their sacred role as intermediaries between gods and people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Violating flower kapu brought death\u2014not as cruel punishment but as inevitable consequence. The mana in kapu flowers was too intense for unprepared individuals. Touching them without proper spiritual protection caused the person to be overwhelmed by divine power, like touching a live electrical wire. The system protected both social order and individual safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Kumulipo<\/strong>, Hawaii’s great creation chant, references flowers as emerging in specific ages of the world’s development. Flowers appear after simpler life forms but before complex animals and humans, teaching that botanical beauty and diversity prepared the world for human habitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Flowers in the Kumulipo aren’t merely decorative but functional\u2014they feed insects, which feed birds, which create ecological balance necessary for human life. This sophisticated ecological understanding embedded in mythology taught Hawaiians their place in complex natural systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laka<\/strong>, goddess of hula and wild forest growth, embodies the creative, beautiful, untamed aspects of nature. She manifests particularly through forest flowers\u2014blooms growing wild rather than cultivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laka teaches that truest beauty cannot be controlled or domesticated. Forest flowers growing according to their own nature, shaped by wind and rain rather than human intention, represent authentic expression. Hula dancers invoke this wild, authentic beauty through their art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laka’s forests were said to be intensely fragrant, filled with blooming flowers, aromatic leaves, and sweet scents. Entering these spaces meant entering sacred territory where normal rules suspended and divine inspiration became possible. The fragrance itself carried mana and could induce spiritual visions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ancient Polynesian navigators used flower blooming patterns as seasonal markers and navigation aids. Certain flowers blooming indicated optimal sailing conditions, seasonal wind changes, or appropriate times for specific voyages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hawaiian lunar calendar coordinated with flower blooming cycles. Specific months were named for phenomena that included flower appearances:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iku\u0101<\/strong>: Fish spawn and certain mountain flowers bloom Ka\u02bbaona<\/strong>: Naupaka and other coastal flowers bloom abundantly Hinaia\u02bbele\u02bbele<\/strong>: Specific flowers sacred to the goddess Hina appear<\/p>\n\n\n\n This integration of botanical observation with temporal systems taught that time itself was not abstract but rooted in natural phenomena observable and measurable through flowers’ life cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contemporary Hawaiian culture experiences both crisis and renaissance regarding flowers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many native Hawaiian flowers face extinction from habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change. Losing these flowers means losing kinolau of gods\u2014actual divine presence disappearing from the islands. Conservation efforts thus carry spiritual urgency beyond ecological concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Modern kahuna, kumu hula (hula teachers), and cultural practitioners work to revive traditional flower knowledge. This includes proper harvest protocols, understanding flower symbolism, and maintaining relationships with plant species that sustained Hawaiian culture for centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Commercial lei stands at airports and tourist areas preserve some flower traditions while often simplifying complex spiritual meanings into decorative pleasantness. This creates tension between maintaining cultural practices and adapting to modern commercial contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Planting native flowers in restoration projects isn’t merely environmental work but spiritual practice\u2014restoring kinolau of gods to their proper places, repairing relationships with divine forces, and recreating the sacred landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hawaiian mythology views flowers as kumu (teachers, sources of knowledge). Each species carries lessons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lehua teaches<\/strong>: Loyalty, eternal love, the price of jealousy, respect for divine power Naupaka teaches<\/strong>: Some loves cannot be fulfilled, longing can be sacred, separation doesn’t end connection \u02bbIlima teaches<\/strong>: Dedication, persistence, hidden strength, healing compassion Hibiscus teaches<\/strong>: Impermanence, living fully in the moment, beauty’s fleeting nature M\u0101mane teaches<\/strong>: Respect for sacred places, interconnection with other species, honoring boundaries<\/p>\n\n\n\n This pedagogical approach to flowers means that encountering them isn’t passive aesthetic experience but active learning opportunity. Observing flowers carefully, understanding their growth patterns, respecting their needs, and using them properly constitutes education in wisdom, ethics, and spiritual truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Hawaiian mythology, flowers aren’t symbols representing something else\u2014they ARE the thing itself. A lehua blossom is literally Pele’s presence, not merely a reminder of the goddess. This ontological directness means that gathering flowers, wearing lei, and participating in flower-centered ceremonies brings Hawaiians into immediate contact with akua.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The relationship between Hawaiians and flowers is fundamentally reciprocal. Flowers provide beauty, medicine, spiritual power, and divine connection. In return, humans must provide respect, proper protocol, sustainable harvest, and maintenance of the natural systems that allow flowers to flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Hawaii faces environmental challenges, cultural disruption, and the ongoing effects of colonization, flowers remain resilient teachers and powerful connectors to ancestral wisdom. Whether rare native species clinging to existence on remote mountain slopes or common introduced varieties blooming in urban gardens, each flower carries mana, tells stories, and maintains the living mythology that defines Hawaiian identity across generations and throughout the worldwide Hawaiian diaspora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The flowers bloom, teach, connect, and persist\u2014embodying the aloha spirit that views all life as interconnected, sacred, and worthy of deep respect. In them, ancient gods walk among mortals, lovers remain eternally joined, and the land itself speaks words of beauty that transcend language, touching directly the soul of anyone willing to truly see, smell, and honor these most sacred of gifts from earth and sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLehua: The Sacred Flower of Pele<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Legend of \u02bb\u014chi\u02bba and Lehua<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Rain That Weeps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lehua as Kinolau of Pele<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pua Aloalo: The Hibiscus of Many Meanings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Royal Flower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Goddess Flower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Warrior’s Challenge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pikake: The Peacock Flower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Royal Association<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Scent of Aloha<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pua Kenikeni: The Ten-Cent Flower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Transformation Flower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Scent of Memory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lokelani: The Rose of Maui<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Pink of Dawn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Fragrance of Aloha<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Naupaka: The Divided Flower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Separated Lovers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Teaching of Longing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u02bbIlima: The Royal Flower of O\u02bbahu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Flower of Royalty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Medicine Flower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Persistent Flower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pua Kalaunu: The Crown Flower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Royal Purple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Lasting Lei<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
M\u0101mane: The Golden Rain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Snow Goddess’s Ornament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Bird Flower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hau: The Hibiscus Cousin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Tree of Refuge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Transformation Flower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Useful Flower<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
K\u014dki\u02bbo: The Rare Treasures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
K\u014dki\u02bbo Ke\u02bboke\u02bbo (White Hibiscus)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
K\u014dki\u02bbo \u02bbUla\u02bbula (Red Hibiscus)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Teaching of Rarity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Gardenia: The Na\u02bbu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Perfume of Gods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Loss and Memory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Plumeria: The Graveyard Flower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Temple Tree<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Fragrant Bridge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Lei of Farewell<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Lei Tradition: Living Mythology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Protocol and Mana<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Lei for Every Occasion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Flowers and Hula: Sacred Dance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Hula Altar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lei Dancers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Flower Movements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Kapu Flowers and Social Structure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ali’i Flowers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Kahuna Flowers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Death Penalty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Flowers in Creation Chants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Goddess Laka and Forest Flowers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Wild Beauty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Fragrant Forest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Flowers and Navigation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Seasonal Calendar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Modern Revival and Conservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Endangered Species<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cultural Practitioners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Lei Stands<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Restoration Projects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Flowers as Teachers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Flowers as Living Divinity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n