Crafting Moʻolelo's (Stories)

The ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is one of Hawaiʻi’s most important native trees, found from coastal lowlands to high volcanic slopes. It plays a critical role in native ecosystems—often the first to grow on new lava flows, helping to create...

At first glance, a lei pūpū may seem like a simple string of shells—but to those who understand its origins, it is a legacy of craftsmanship, geography, and cultural endurance. These shell lei, traditionally created on the island of Niʻihau,...

more coming soon!

Plumeria isn’t native to Hawaiʻi, but it’s become part of our story. In this blog, I share my pilina to this beloved flower through memories of my grandma’s front yard, lei-making, and the quiet generosity that shaped my connection to place and community.

Introduced to Hawaiʻi in the 1800s, pīkake has become one of the islands' most beloved lei flowers — named by a princess, carried by its scent, and for many of us, tied to the people we love most.

Loke, the name used in Hawaiʻi for rose, is not native to these islands. Roses originated in Asia and were introduced to Hawaiʻi in the 1800s, brought over by foreign settlers and missionaries who planted them in ornamental gardens. Unlike...