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Monday is May Day; Kaua‘i Museum presents contest

LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Museum presents the Walter &Irmalee Pomroy Lei Contest, Monday, at Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hundreds of people are anticipated to take advantage of the contest that honors the legacy of Master Lei Makers Kats and Happy Tamanaha, and also the contest’s namesake Walter and Irmalee Pomroy.

A separate Keiki La Lei Contest is scheduled for May 6 at Kaua‘i Museum Courtyard from 9:30 to 11 a.m., where aspiring young lei makers can create their own lei for awards and prizes at the contest spearheaded by the Tamanaha couple.

May Day has become known, through the efforts of a Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter, as Lei Day, and traditionally has been celebrated in Hawai‘i on May 1.

For the Walter &Irmalee Pomroy Lei Contest, the lei-making contest is open to residents of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau with no age restrictions, or limit to the number of lei entered.

Each lei must be accompanied by a completed and signed entry form when presented to the Contest Receiving Committee, Monday, from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Puna Ballroom at Royal Sonesta resort.

Using criteria established by the Kaua‘i Museum, lei makers submit entries for awards in various types of lei, or lei-making methods. These include haku, or the braiding of fern, ti leaf, hau fiber, and more to which flowers, leaves, or fruit may be added.

Hili lei include the braiding or weaving of a single plant material, and Humupapa style include plant material sewn or stitched to a foundation of dried banana fiber, lauhala, ti leaf, or other similar natural material.

Kui style lei include plant material strung together using a kui, or needle, through the center, or side, and Kipu‘u lei are stems of leaves that are knotted together to make a chain. No cordage, needle, or backing is used.

Wili lei include plant material that is secured to a backing of ti leaf, lauhala, dry banana fiber or other suitable natural material and wound with fiber or thread around the plant material backing.

Doors to the lei viewing and silent auction open from 10 a.m. to the general public for viewing of the two categories of lei — Lei ‘A‘i, or neck lei, and Lei Papale, or hat lei. Designated lei are also available through a silent auction bidding system with the winning award being available by 1 p.m.

Sponsored by Duke’s Kaua‘i, Keoki’s Paradise, Timbers Kaua‘i Ocean Club and Residences, Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort, and Ho‘ohana Coaching and Consulting, awards for the many different lei is scheduled to start at noon.

Through the collaborative efforts of other community partners, the Royal Sonesta is hosting a May Day celebration, as Madi Jimenez of Mailelani, a dancer with Kumu Hula Troy Lazaro and Halau Ka Pa Hula O Hinano announced a small craft fair offering of up to a dozen vendors. The craft fair will run from 3 p.m. until doors open to the special La Lei hula and mele presentation celebrating May Day by the halau at 5:30 p.m.

A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.
Source: The Garden Island

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