Giving lei an expression of love and congratulations at Hawaiʻi graduations

Sophia Burgess remembers seeing her cousins stacked with ti leaf and plumeria lei — including ones she made — at the Konawaena high school graduation in 2011.

“Their whole face was covered,” the 18-year-old said.

Now, it’s Burgess’ turn to be decked with blossoms strung together when she receives her diploma from Konawaena on May 20.

“It’s very full circle for me,” Burgess said Friday. “I’ll also be making lei for all my friends and people I grew up with. It really is a token of gratitude and shows your appreciation.”

The tradition of lei giving and receiving is an important part of high school graduations in the Aloha State. From the fragrant blossoms of the plumeria or tuberose to the candy and money lei, all are made with care and cherished by the receiver.

“When someone gives me a lei it shows they’re proud of me, and graduation is one of those big milestones,” Burgess said. “That whole ceremony wouldn’t be the same without lei giving.”

Randi Hayashida, student activities coordinator at Konawaena High, said the tradition provides “that feeling when you come on campus that ‘we got you.’ The giving of lei captures that moment and that feeling of family.”

Local florist and Konawaena alumni April Qina said the lei will always be an important memory of growing up. Now, Qina is at the age where her former classmates’ kids are graduating from high school.

“For our kids, graduation is a big deal and we want to load them up,” Qina said, owner of Qina Girl Floral. “I love to see kids stacked up to their necks.”

Qina started taking orders about six weeks ago for graduation lei. She said it’s not uncommon for a family to order 10 to 15. The most popular for graduation are the fragrant blossoms, like the tuberose and especially the leaves and vine of the maile.

“You just get to celebrate with each other,” Qina said. “When I get an opportunity to make a lei, especially for a child I know, it’s very special to me.”

For local culture, Qina said graduation is very much a transition: “It’s a big landmark in someone’s life. A lei is an expression of love and congratulations. It’s how we celebrate.”

A lei, from the simple plumeria to the ilima lei, takes up to 1,000 blossoms and is an act of love.

“If you don’t understand the time and how special it is, the significance (of receiving a lei) is lost,” Qina said.

Gabrielle Olson has only lived on Hawaiʻi Island for three years, but the 18-year-old senior from West Hawaiʻi Explorations Academy said she already respects the tradition and hopes she receives one at her upcoming graduation.

“I think it’s really unique,” Olson said. “I feel like it symbolizes a really big achievement. I think a graduation lei means a lot more spiritually and metaphorically speaking.”

Konawaena senior Torrance Satta-Ellis, 17, is excited to graduate with his sights set on attending Pacific University in Oregon in the fall to study advertising and marketing.

The Big Island native said receiving a lei “shows they supported me and their time to give it to me was worth their time.”

Burgess, who will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall, and her friends are each making a combination of 30 to 40 plumeria and ti leaf lei to hand out on graduation day.

Satta-Ellis also said he plans to hand out plumeria, maile and bead lei.

“I want people to remember me and want them to know that I care for them,” Satta-Ellis said. “It’s more than a lei. It’s showing love and support and that’s what I want people to see in me.”

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For a full list of graduation ceremonies, click here.