NA LEI

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The Lei Making Methods

KIPU'U, the knotting method.

Leaf stems or short vine lengths were knotted together to make a length long enough to circle the head or drape around the neck as in the lei 'olapa, lei lapalapa and lei maile.  A binding thread was not needed.  The maile was first prepared by a process called, 'u'u, stripping, i.e. removing the bark from the woody stem.

Reference:  Ka Lei, The Leis of Hawaii by Marie A. McDonald