How to craft a traditional Hawaiian ti leaf lei

The sacred meaning behind kūpeʻe wrist lei

Cultural practitioner Cheryl Cabrera explains what a kūpeʻe wrist lei is and how weaving ti leaves connects dancers to deities like Laka and Lono, as well as ancestors and the land.

What a Kūpeʻe Lei Really Represents

Why you should always iron your ti leaves

Cheryl explains the cultural protocol of asking the plant for permission before picking leaves, and reveals why heating the leaves softens them for weaving.

Why You Must Iron Ti Leaves Before Weaving

The practitioner demonstrates braiding ti leaf lei with three strips.

Braiding Ti Leaf Lei with Three Strips

An artisan explains that weaving a lei requires a cleansed, positive mind, as negative thoughts can spoil the lei and it needs your full aloha.

The Mindset Required to Weave a Lei

All night with no sleep to craft 38 sets.

The instructor recounts staying awake all night without sleep to handcraft five sets of ti leaf adornments for 38 hula dancers before a festival.

The Real Test of Making Traditional Leis

A practitioner shares wisdom passed down from her kumu: victory is not about trophies, but starts on the very first day of gathering and practice.

Why Winning Starts on Day One of Practice

The maker details different styles of ti leaf leis, showing how wrist adornments, single strands, and May Day garlands each have distinct purposes like kahiko dancing.

Different Styles of Ti Leaf Leis Explained

Maintaining Tension While Braiding Ti Leaf Lei

The practitioner demonstrates holding the lei in place with her toes while braiding.

The finished ti leaf garland is demonstrated, showing how to size it and how hula practitioners fasten the knot inside the loop to wear it sideways across the chest.

How Hula Dancers Wear a Ti Leaf Lei

Carrying forward generations of Hawaiian wisdom

Cheryl shares her heartfelt mahalo for the land, Akua, and her kumu Raylene Lancaster Kawaiʻaeʻa, dedicating her work to keeping cultural teachings alive.

Carrying on the Kumu's Teachings

[02:52] What a Kūpeʻe Lei Really Represents
[03:36] Why You Must Iron Ti Leaves Before Weaving
[05:00] Braiding Ti Leaf Lei with Three Strips
[07:40] The Mindset Required to Weave a Lei
[08:02] The Real Test of Making Traditional Leis
[10:26] Why Winning Starts on Day One of Practice
[11:14] Different Styles of Ti Leaf Leis Explained
[14:08] Maintaining Tension While Braiding Ti Leaf Lei
[15:01] How Hula Dancers Wear a Ti Leaf Lei
[15:35] Carrying on the Kumu's Teachings

How to craft a traditional Hawaiian ti leaf lei

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