random babble…

in Hawai’i, May Day is known as Lei Day.

i have known this for three years, but this is the first day that year that i have had a kid in school to mark it.

friday i had the privilege of attending the Lei Day festival at the Kid’s school.  it was absolutely beautiful, and a great way to spend a day off.  there was a presentation of the Royal Court, a prince and princess chosen to represent each of the islands that make up the Hawai’ian chain, each dressed in the colors and flowers associated w/ the specific isle.  then the presentation of the King and Queen.  they presided over the rest of the program which consisted of the various classes putting on a performance (the Kindergarten did a panorama of what they love most about Hawai’i…soooo very cute), including the taiko drummers from the school, and the hula class.

the most interesting part of the celebrations that go on, for me, was learning some history of each of the main islands.  most people i know are familiar w/ Hawai’i, O’ahu, Maui and Kaua’i, even if they have never been to the State before.  i learned a little more about the others, including Moloka’i, Lana’i, Kaho’olawe and Ni’ihau.  a lot of my friends are surprised to find out that Moloka’i used to have the oldest leper colony in the US.  Ni’ihau is privately owned, and forbidden to all but Native Hawai’ians, and some special invited guests, and is the only island where native Hawai’ian is the primary language spoken.

part of what has caused me to fall in love w/ Hawai’i so much is the diversity of culture.  there is such a blending of people from all around the world, and there is less intolerance and hate than in most of the places i have lived on the Mainland.  Lei Day is a celebration of the history and culture of this incredibly diverse and beautiful place.