Latest news with #LeiDay
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
97th annual Lei Day celebration takes over Kapiʻolani Park
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The month of May kicked off with thousands of people heading down to Kapiʻolani Park for the 97th annual Lei Day celebration. Are you wearing the right color lei for Lei Day? Kumu Lum explains WakeUp2Day's Chris Latronic met with Department of Parks and Recreation's Nathan Serota and 2025 Lei Queen Kuʻulei Aloha Llanos to learn about the event. The all-day event featured a wide variety of island musical and hula performances, Hawaiian cultural protocol, the world-renowned Lei Contest, lei making workshops and artisans and merchants — all in a family-friendly setting. This year's celebration weaved in new elements to progress the legacy of lei-making with the theme 'Hoʻokahi ka ʻilau like ʻana,' or 'Wield the paddles together.'And of course, it wouldn't be a celebration if there wasn't ono food, crafts and the annual Lei Contest! Dale Mar T. Acoba took the crown and won the Mayor's Grand Prize with a lei kui made of hypericum and yarrow. Acoba took home $5,400 in prize money. City officials said all lei from the contest will be taken to Mauna 'Ala (The Royal Mausoleum) and Kawaiāha'o Church on Friday, May 2. Check out more news from around Hawaii The lei will then be placed on the graves and tombs of Hawai'i's ali'i. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cash or clutter? Naming rights bill heads to Governor's desk
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A bill passed in this year's legislative session could change the names of some of the state's most public venues. Senate Bill 583 allows the state to sell naming rights to facilities like the new Aloha Stadium and the Hawaii Convention Center. Community members meet with developers of new Aloha Stadium Supporters said it's smart business, but critics think it's a slippery slope toward commercial clutter. Are you wearing the right color lei for Lei Day? Kumu Lum explains In a move aimed at boosting revenue to pay for the operation and maintenance of the new stadium and the Convention Center, state lawmakers passed Senate Bill 583, which permits the leasing of naming rights for state-owned facilities to public or private entities, with the generated funds directed to the facility's special fund. Current law allows for advertising indoor facilities; this legislation opens doors to exterior advertising. 'That's going to increase the value, increase the potential for us to generate revenues that are going to help support and maintain that stadium for that 30-year period of time that we're looking to have an operator run that stadium for us,' said Brennon Morioka, Stadium Authority Chair. Supporters said this could raise a million dollars or more a year for the stadium. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'That could be the difference between having a roof shade or not having a roof shade. Are we going to engineer all of the extras out of there? I think of having extra $30 million potentially for Stanford is going to be good for the public,' said Senator Glenn Wakai, who has been spearheading efforts to fund the new Aloha Stadium without additional taxpayer money The Hawaii Convention Center is also in the spotlight. The Hawaii Tourism Authority supported the bill, seeing it as a means to generate additional revenue. However, the opposition is strong from The Outdoor Circle. 'This could lead to corporate schlock logos, everything screaming from every building or public facility. And we see a slippery slope here,' said Winston Welch, Executive Director of The Outdoor Circle. The Outdoor Circle argues the bill may jeopardize public funding of tax-exempt bonds and may not hold up against the state's longstanding ban on billboards. 'Yes, everybody needs money, but we've found a way for 100 years to do this without sacrificing our visual environment,' said Welch. Yet supporters said the bill is not a threat to Hawaii's scenic beauty. Check out more news from around Hawaii 'We want to keep that pristine environment that we have. This is for one singular building to allow for any kind of corporation to put their logo on the outside of the stadium,' said Sen. Wakai. The bill now heads to the Governor for his signature. If signed, the law could take effect as early as July. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Are you wearing the right color lei for Lei Day? Kumu Lum explains
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Every year on May 1, Hawaiʻi celebrates something special. It's not just another spring day. It's May Day is Lei Day in Hawaiʻi; and it's a time to give, wear and honor lei. Kumu Brad Lum said this day means more than most people realize. 'May Day is very important for me and for my hula halau,' he said. 'We'll be performing and honoring the May Day court. This is an exciting time to honor the lei.' This year, he's not just making lei. He's helping open the event with an oli, performing hula with his halau at Kapiʻolani Park and even serving as the male oli for the day. Here are eight things Kumu Lum said you need to know to fully understand and celebrate Lei Day in Hawaiʻi the right way. The whole idea behind Lei Day is about sharing aloha. 'It's a big time to show your aloha for Lei Day,' Kumu Lum said. People across Hawaiʻi celebrate by making lei, wearing lei, giving lei and dancing hula. 'It's an exciting time to honor the lei,' Kumu Lum added. 'We're all excited.' 'Each island has a lei,' said Kumu Lum. 'And a lot of people don't know this.' For example: Niʻihau has the niʻihau lei that is made with shells. Its color is white. Kauaʻi has mokihana, and its color is purple. Oʻahu has ʻilima, which is bright yellow. Molokaʻi has kukui, which is green and silver. Lānaʻi has kaunaʻoa, an orange vine. Kahoʻolawe has hinahina, which is gray. 'Of course, no one lives on Kahoʻolawe,' said Kumu Lum, 'but we still honor it.' Maui has loke lani, a pink rose. Hawaiʻi Island has lehua, and its main color is red. 'That lehua flower is beautiful,' said Kumu Lum. 'But just a reminder, if you ever go and travel, you can't take it from island to island. They may give you a fine.'Each island's flower comes with a color, and those colors are part of the celebration. Kumu Lum said it helps people connect to where they're from. 'It all depends on what island you're coming from,' he said. 'The colors signify that.' 'May Day is Lei Day in Hawaiʻi started back in March,' said Kumu Lum. 'They picked the Lei Day queen, and that was such a beautiful event.' He described it with pride. 'It was beautiful. It was so professionally done. It was such a great experience. I wish more people could show up.' The City and County of Honolulu's Parks and Recreation department organizes the event. Kumu Lum said he hopes more people get involved each year. 'Please, please do that,' he said. One of the biggest celebrations is at Kapiʻolani Park. That's where Kumu Lum's hula halau will dance. 'I'm very, very, very honored this year,' he said. 'We'll be performing and honoring the Li Day court.' Another major celebration is at Kaimana Beach Hotel. 'They have a huge Lei Day event coming up on May 1 and May 2,' said Kumu Lum. 'Kaimana Beach Hotel is hosting Kalani Peʻa.' (Click here for more details.) He added that the hotel even holds a lei contest. 'Yours truly will be a part as one of my lei will be in the contest as well,' he said with a smile. Some island flowers grow in surprising places. 'There's a specific lei that only is planted on the plateaus of Lānaʻi,' said Kumu Lum. 'It has to be dry. That's the only way that plant can thrive,' he explained. Even Kahoʻolawe, which no one lives on today, is included. 'There's a lot of hinahina all over the place on Kahoʻolawe,' he said. 'So, we honor that.' Kumu Lum encouraged everyone to take part, not just wear a lei for the day. 'I want you to come to the park on Lei Day,' he said. 'We're all excited.' If you've never been to a Lei Day event, he said now is the time. 'If you've never experienced the May Day is Lei Day queen contest, then please do that,' he said. 'It's so beautiful.' Lei Day is a chance to pause and reflect on aloha, culture, and where we come from. 'May Day is very important for me,' said Kumu Lum. 'Because I totally understand what May Day is all about.' To him, the lei is more than something to wear. It's a way to honor people, places, and history. 'This is an exciting time to honor the lei,' he said. 'So come, give a lei, wear a lei, show your aloha.' 'Mahalo,' he said. 'May Day is Lei Day. Give a lei. Wear a lei. Show your lei. Be there. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHON's morning podcast, every morning at 8 You can click for more information on the Lei Day court. You can click for a documented history of Lei Day. Happy Lei Day, Hawaiʻi nei! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to make your lei with aloha and mana: Kumu Lum
HONOLULU (KHON2) — As the islands get ready for May 1, also known as May Day is Lei Day in Hawaiʻi, there's one tradition that brings everyone together: making and wearing lei. Whether you're a beginner or someone who has made lei before, learning from people who live aloha every day can make a big difference. Kumu Brad Lum and his assistant Joylynn recently shared their knowledge with about two types of lei — a puako (flower) lei and a ti leaf lei — while weaving in deep respect for the ʻāina, plants and kūpuna (ancestors). 'This is about more than just making something beautiful,' said Kumu Brad Lum. 'This is about connection, about giving and about honoring.' This is what we learned from Kumu Lum and Joylynn. Joylynn shared two different styles: the lei pua kou (a flower lei using the kui, or stringing method), and the lei lāʻī (a twisted ti leaf lei). 'For the flower lei, I'm using pua kou,' said Joylynn. 'They're this really vibrant orange, and I love them not just for their color but because they're indigenous to Hawaiʻi.' Pua kou flowers grow freely and are easy to gather without harming the tree. 'The tree showers us with the flowers. So, if you go early in the morning, you can pick them straight off the ground,' she said. 'That's how giving the tree is.' To make a full-sized lei, Joylynn recommends collecting around 70 to 80 pua. 'You want the lei to be full, to drape nicely,' she explained. 'It depends on the size of the flowers and how tightly you string them, but that's a good number to start with.'Stringing the flowers may look easy, but one smart tip makes it smoother. 'I like to put a clothespin at the end of my string just so I can push the pua as far as possible, and they won't fall off the other side,' said Joylynn. When you're done, the knot you tie at the end turns the lei into a circle because it's a symbol of aloha with no beginning or end. 'The lei needle has an open eye,' Joylynn explained. 'It lets you wrap the string and pull it through without struggling. You can also stack more flowers on it before pulling them through.' Instead of plastic thread, she uses biodegradable dental floss. 'It's all natural; so, when the lei goes back to the ʻāina [the land] it won't leave anything behind,' she said. 'You can hang it on a tree, bury it or even give it to the ocean.' 'The lei lāʻī is really simple,' said Joylynn. 'But you still have to treat it with respect.' To start, soften the ti leaves by boiling them, freezing them or ironing them. Then, cut off the hard edges and begin twisting. 'Because I'm right-handed, I twist the right side away from me, as tight as I can,' she said. 'Then I go right over left. Always right over left.' You can add more leaves along the way by laying them shiny-side up on the right side, then continuing to twist and fold them in. 'It can be a lei for your neck, your wrist, or your bag strap,' she said. 'It's up to you.' Ti leaves are often waved at University of Hawaiʻi volleyball games. But what happens after that? 'If you're going to wave them to support our Rainbow Warriors, that's great,' Joylynn said. 'But don't throw them away afterward.' Kumu Lum agreed: 'This is our ʻohana. This is from the ʻāina. It's not ʻopala — it's not trash.' In fact, Joylynn gathers the ti leaves from the stadium floor after games and uses them to make lei. 'This isn't just a thing you make,' said Kumu Lum. 'You wear a lei to give aloha. You give a lei to show love. You return it to the ʻāina to show respect.' Even as Joylynn worked with her hands, twisting ti leaves and threading flowers, she spoke softly but firmly: 'Everything around us, everything we touch, it's alive. It has mana [power].' And sometimes, lei making gets sticky. Literally. 'The sap from the ti leaf is sticky, not greasy,' Joylynn said with a laugh as she held up her fingers. 'I use a little spray bottle to clean my hands, so I don't rip the leaves. It's all about taking care of the plants, of yourself and of the lei.' Making a lei is about using your hands. But it's also about using your heart and your mind to imbue your creation with aloha. 'When you make a lei, your thoughts go into it,' Joylynn said. 'So, you want to focus on positive thoughts. You're giving this lei to someone, and you want to pass that positivity on.' Whether you're thinking about the person you're gifting it to or simply feeling grateful for the day, what you feel becomes part of the lei itself. That's why intention matters. 'You don't want to give someone your stress, your anxiety or your negative feelings,' said Joylynn. 'You want to give them your aloha.' Kumu Lum added, 'That's why making a lei is ceremony. You slow down. You breathe. You connect.' So, before the first flower goes on the string, and long after the last leaf is twisted, remember: what you carry in your thoughts is just as important as what you hold in your hands. Making a lei isn't just a craft. It's a way to honor life, people and place. As May Day approaches, remember what Kumu Lum said: 'Honor our lei. Wear lei. Give a lei. And aloha. Always.' Kumu Brad Lum So, whether you're twisting ti leaves under a tree, or stringing flowers from your front yard, you're doing more than just making something pretty. You're practicing aloha. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHON's morning podcast, every morning at 8 Want help making your first lei this May Day? Kumu Lum and Joylynn say: just start. 'It's okay if it's not perfect,' said Joylynn. 'You're learning. That's the lei, too.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
