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Hawaiian Lei Day Celebrations throughout the Hawaiian Islands
Wishing you a most auspiciously beautiful Lei Day from Hawaii..!
May 1st is a holiday known as May Day in most of the world but in Hawaii that holiday is known as "Lei Day" and celebrates the Hawaiian tradition of giving, receiving and wearing a flower lei. May 1, 1928 was the first Lei Day in Hawaii and is customarily celebrated by organizing lei-making contests, festivals, parades, concerts and coronating a Lei Day King and Queen throughout the Hawaiian Islands. After the festivities have ended, the flower leis are taken to the tombs of the Ali�i (Hawaiian royalty) and left there as offerings.
While leaving the island a traveler customarily tosses the farewell lei onto the harbor waters. The drift of the lei back to the shore indicates that the person will someday return to the Hawaiian islands. The custom of wearing leis originated with the indigenous Hawaiians, who wove necklaces of leaves or ferns or sometimes strung dried shells, fruits, beads, or bright feathers for personal adornment. Hawaiians celebrate Lei Day on May 1st, symbolizing their tradition of friendliness and the "Aloha Spirit".
I invite all my dear friends and family to celebrate Hawaiian Lei Day with me by sharing the gift of a lei with another by placing a flower lei around the receiver's neck and accompanying it with the traditional kiss and the greeting "Happy Lei Day (my friend, lover, mate etc...)" If you do not happen to have access to a flower lei, a simple flower will do. If you don't have access to a flower then just wrapping your arms around someone with a hug will do splendidly. If you don't have anyone handy to hug then... God Bless You...
"Law of The Aloha Spirit"
I had a chance recently to remember the significance of a holiday celebrated here in the islands because you see May 1st, or May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. It is celebrated by many the "entire month of May" along with an abundance of hugs, flowers, leis, parades and of course, "The Aloha Spirit..." Any one whose been to or heard of Hawaii is certainly familiar with the Hawaiian word "Aloha" but in my own research of this special holiday I discovered that Hawaii actually has a state law on the books called "The Aloha Spirit Law". After reading the text of the law I was simply amazed at how much sense it makes and how wonderful it would be if "The Aloha Spirit Law" were embraced by peoples and countries the world over. See if you might not agree after reading today's offering entitled, "The Law of Aloha Spirit..."
...May the Blessings Be... Michael^AngelOh
"THE LAW OF THE ALOHA SPIRIT"
The native islanders have some wonderful customs and they regard this day as a most auspicious day. They greet the day with a lei. A lei is a garland or necklace of flowers given in Hawaii as a token of love, welcome or farewell. Lei Day began in 1928 and leis are most commonly made of carnations, orchids, plumeria, ginger or jasmine blossoms, and are usually about 18 inches in length. Everyone is invited to give the gift of a lei to another, putting it around the receiver's neck and accompanying it with the traditional hug and kiss. Some Hawaiian celebrations come complete with pageants, and a Lei Queen and her court. While leaving the island a traveler customarily tosses the farewell lei onto the harbor waters. The drifting of the lei back to the shore indicates that the person will someday return to the islands. The custom of wearing leis originated with the indigenous Hawaiians, who wove necklaces of leaves or ferns and sometimes strung dried shells, fruits, beads, or bright feathers for personal adornment. Hawaiians and anyone else feeling the ALoha Spirit celebrates Lei Day on May 1st, symbolizing the tradition of friendliness. I recommend that we all celebrate the spirit of this auspicious holiday throughout the month of May and All-Year-Long if possible.
The Aloha Spirit elevates, empowers and ennobles its people, and keeps Hawaii the uniquely special place that it is. The Aloha Spirit deserves our unmitigated support and compliance and can serve as a model for the world. Together, we can make The Aloha Spirit as vibrant and real as it was for those who came before us. Those who have experienced The Aloha Spirit have an obligation to make it real for those who follow. An individual, conscious effort is required. Let it begin with me... Let it begin with you...
"THE ALOHA SPIRIT LAW"
"The Aloha Spirit Law" is an actual law "on the books" in Hawaii, encoded in the Hawaii Revised Statutes, section 5-7.5 and acknowledges that The Aloha Spirit "was the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to the people of Hawaii." All citizens and government officials of Hawaii are obligated by law to conduct themselves in accordance with this law, while performing their duties and obligations, as well as in their day-to-day living. Likewise, those visiting our fair islands are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with this Hawaiian law.
The Aloha Spirit Law reads as follows:
[�5-7.5] [L 1986, c 202, �1]
(a) The Aloha Spirit is the coordination of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the Self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others. In the contemplation and presence of the life force, Aloha, the following translation [unuhi laula loa] may be used:
Definition of
"The Spirit of Aloha"
A: Akahai (Kindness, expressed with tenderness)
L: Lokahi (Unity, expressed with harmony)
O: Olu'olu (Agreeable, expressed with pleasantness)
H: Ha'aha'a (Humility, expressed with modesty)
A: Ahonui (Patience, expressed with perserverance)
These are traits of character that express the charm, warmth and sincerity of Hawaii�s people. Aloha is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation. Aloha means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return. Aloha is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. Aloha means to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable.
(b) In exercising their power on behalf of the people and in fulfillment of their responsibilities, obligations and service to the people, the legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, executive officers of each department, the chief justice, associate justices, and judges of the appellate, circuit, and district courts may contemplate and reside with the life force and give consideration to The Aloha Spirit...
"HOLYDAY PROSE"
"I know not how I may seem to others, but to myself I am but a small child wandering upon the vast shores of knowledge, every now and then finding a small bright pebble to content myself with..."
~Plato~
"FEATURED LEI DAY LINKS"
THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE Ka `�lelo Hawai`i Site
https://hawaiianlanguage.com
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