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NA LEI |
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Lei La'i The leaves, lauki, lau'i, la'i, has a variety of uses, from packages for cooking and carrying, to plates, to raincoats and sandals. Hawaiians believe that the ti plant has powers to heal and to ward off evil spirits. The ti was the sacred symbol of the gods. The leaves were used in the rituals of cleansing and rendering free of evil spirits by the kahuna-pule heiau, temple priest, and in the rituals of healing by the kahuna-lapa'au, the medical priest. The planting of hedges of ti plants around ones house was to keep out the evil spirits. The kahuna-pule heiau and the kahuna-lapa'au wore leis of la'i or carried a stalk of leaves or a single leaf on ceremonious occasions as the sacred symbol of the gods and almost as an emblem of their profession or their rank. The lei la'i for the neck was made with two leaves. The midrib was removed from the undersides of the leaves. The leaves were stripped or not. The stem ends were knotted together to form one long length. The knotted stem ends were place at the nape of the neck while the leaf ends were draped down the front of the chest. The lei la'i was worn open-ended in horseshoe fashion. In the hale pe'a, women remained in isolation, during this period of confinement, they wore leis of la'i to protect them from uncleanliness. If it was necessary to travel, especially if one had to cross Pele's domain, the lei la'i went with them, for the ti would summon the protection of the volcano goddess. There green ti leaves were necessary in the decorating of the altar of Laka in the halau hula. No ceremonial serving of 'awa was complete without a properly woven base of ti leaves to support the 'awa bowl. The ti leaves were used as the central cord to which plant materials were sewn, tied, or plaited. Reference: Ka Lei, The Leis of Hawaii by Marie A. McDonald |