ELIGIBILITY & ENTRY

The lei contest is only open to residents of Kaua`i and Ni`ihau. All ages are welcome and there is no limit to the number of lei entered. Each lei must be accompanied by a completed and signed official entry form and presented to the Receiving Committee on Monday, May 1, 2023, at the Puna Ballroom of the Royal Sonesta Resort.  

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Lei will be accepted between 7am and 9am. Any entrance not in the receiving line at 9am. will not be processed.

 

All lei entered become the property of the Kaua`i Museum and will not be returned. Lei entries will be auctioned off with the proceeds benefiting the museum’s Education Department.

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COMPONENTS

All lei shall be made with natural plant materials and limited to flowers, leaves, stems, roots, fruits, pods and seeds. Lei using non-natural material, artificial treatment, or coloring of natural materials are not allowed. String, yarn & dental floss may be used in constructing the lei. The use of  wire or tape is not allowed.

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RESTRICTIONS

Endangered plants shall not be used. A list of endangered plants may be found on the Hawaii.gov website using search term “endangered plant list.” Furthermore, the museum has chosen to refuse lei containing maile and/or mokihana in deference to our island lei.

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CONSTRUCTION

All lei must be made in one (1) or a combination of the following Hawaiian methods:

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Haku: Braiding of fern, ti leaf, hau fiber, etc. to which flowers, leaves, and/or fruit may be added.

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Hili: Braiding or weaving a single plant material.

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Humupapa: Plant material sewn or stitched to a foundation of dried banana fiber, lauhala, ti leave or other similar natural material.

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Kui: Plant material are strung together using a kui or needle through the center or side.

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Kipu`u: The stems of leaves are knotted together to make a chain. No cordage, needle, nor backing is used.

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Wili: Plant material is secured to a backing of ti leaf, lauhala, dry banana fiber etc. or other suitable natural material and wound with fiber or thread around the plant material and backing.

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CATEGORIES AND DIMENSIONS

Lei `A`i (neck lei) will be a minimum 32 inches to a maximum 34 inches in length and have 4-inch tails at both ends of the lei & left untied.

 

Lei Pāpale (hat lei) will be a minimum 22 inches to a maximum 24 inches in length and have 4-inch tails at both ends of the lei and left untied. The museum will be providing hats for the displaying of all lei in this category. Therefore, personal hats will no longer be allowed or accepted.