HONOLULU — As the Hōkūleʻa and her crew make their way around the world on the Moananuiākea Voyage, the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation announced it intends to pay homage to the voyage with themes and flora selected for the next four Lei Day Celebrations, 2024 to 2027, in keeping with Hōkūleʻa’s “Voyage for Earth.”

What You Need To Know

  • Lei Day celebrations will honor the Moananuiākea Voyage for the next four years

  • The themes will incorporate voyaging proverbs written by Mary Kawena Pukui, Hawaiian scholar, author, hula dancer, composer, educator, archivist and keeper of Native Hawaiian knowledge

  • Hawaii’s Lei Day Celebration will observe its 100th year in 2028

Lei Day is held on the first day of May, embracing a particular theme and a coinciding flower or plant.

“The materials correlate more with their significance as ‘canoe plants’ or plants introduced by the Native Hawaiians when they discovered the island,” said Nathan Serota, public information officer for the Department of Parks and Recreation in an email.

“The kī specifically is a throwback to our 2020 Lei Day theme, which unfortunately was not fully realized because the pandemic required the cancelation of the in-person celebration,” he said.

Lei Queen Leilani Kūpahu-Marino Kahoʻāno dances with husband Kimo Kahoʻāno at the Lei Day Celebration. (Image courtesy of Honolulu Department of Land and Natural Resources)

DPR has selected voyaging proverbs from Mary Kawena Pukui’s “ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings” to guide the themes for the next four years.

2024, 96th celebration

  • Theme: “Komo mai kāu māpuna hoe” translated to “Dip your paddle in (join the effort)”
  • Material: kī or ti (Cordyline fruticose)
  • Lei Court: ages 18-30

 

2025, 97th celebration

  • Theme: “Hoʻokahi ka ʻilau like ʻana,” “Wield the paddles together (work together)”
  • Material: hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus)
  • Lei Court: ages 31-45

 

2026, 98th celebration

  • Theme: “Mai ka hoʻokuʻi ka hālāwai,” “From zenith to horizon (invoking spirits from everywhere)”
  • Material: ʻuala or sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)
  • Lei Court: ages 46-60

 

2027, 99th celebration

  • Theme: “Pae mai la ka waʻa i ka ʻāina,” “The canoe has come ashore (satisfied hunger, desire)”
  • Material: kou (Cordia subcordata)
  • Lei Court: ages 61-plus

With this announcement, DPR encourages all lei makers to plan their lei garden accordingly.

For Lei Day 2023, lei makers entered 200 lei for the annual Lei Contest in three major categories and smaller divisions. Melvin “Moki” Tracy Labra took home the Mayor’s Grand Prize for his lei made of baby’s breath, dusty miller, hinahina, kukui, maile, palaa, palapalai, rose and statice.

According to Serota, the Honolulu DPR determines each Lei Day theme, organizes the Lei Day Celebration on May 1, and facilitates the Lei Court selection. “It’s one of our marquee events, coming up on its 100th anniversary!” said Serota. Hawaii’s Lei Day Celebration will observe its 100th year in 2028.

Melvin "Moki" Tracy took home the Mayor's Grand Prize at this year's Lei Contest. (Photo courtesy of Honolulu Department of Land and Natural Resources)

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.