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Pua Hala
The fruit of the hala is a
popular lei material throughout Polynesia and other Pacific
Islands. The mature, firm fruit provides the material used in
leis. The drupes are separated and strung crosswise or each
drupe is cut from the fibrous end and sewn length wise. The pua
hala is usually combined with bits of laua'e fern. The pungent
fragrance of the pua hala and the gentle maile like fragrance of the
laua'e produces a rich essence. The hala is a symbol and token
of love, the pungent odor of the male blossom (hinano) and the ripe
fruit (hala) is said to arouse love-making among the natives of
old. An old saying went somewhat like this, "When the hala
is ripe, necks are red (with leis)," which meant the time was
right for love-making. Since hala also means fault, error, to
pass; the stigma of the word meaning was attached to the lei. It
is thought unlucky to wear the lei hala. This probably resulted
from a legend which tells of a kahuna lapa'au, who asked Hi'iaka to
help save his sick patient. Hi'iaka, who was wearing a lei hala,
replied that she could not help him. It was too late, the
patient had passed away. The fruit of the hala was so often worn
in the form of a wreath of Kapo that it came to be looked upon almost
as her emblem. To ordinary mortals, this practice savored of bad
luck. Yet, there is a lucky side of the lei hala, again, derived
from the word meaning. The lei hala worn during the makahiki
festival meant that the faults and troubles of the year gone by had passed
away. The new year was approached without trouble and with only
good luck. Many meanings are attached to the lei hala.
"Give a lei hala to wipe away misfortune," "Give a lei
hala to mark the passing, the completion of a venture, the beginning
of anew one."
Reference: Ka Lei, The
Leis of Hawaii by Marie A. McDonald
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