LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Museum will host a Keiki La Lei (youth lei-making) contest this spring. A lei-making workshop at the museum will be hosted by Happy Tamanaha with assistance from her husband Katsugi, also known as Kats, at 10
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Museum will host a Keiki La Lei (youth lei-making) contest this spring. A lei-making workshop at the museum will be hosted by Happy Tamanaha with assistance from her husband Katsugi, also known as Kats, at 10 a.m. on April 7. The Kaua‘i Museum will host the contest at the museum’s annual May Day Lei Contest on May 5.
The April 7 workshop is for young people ages 5 to 18 interested in learning how to make a Kui, Haku, Humupapa, Kipu’u or Wili lei. There is a $5 fee per family for the workshop, and a parent or guardian must accompany keiki ages 5 to 11. Materials will be provided. Space is limited to 30 students.
During the May 5 lei contest, participants will enter their lei in one of two age categories — Group A for ages 5 to 11 or Group B for ages 12 to 18. Prizes will be awarded to the first-place, second and third-place finishers in each category.
Participants must bring their own materials the day of the competition and make their lei on site at the museum. They will be given a two-hour time limit. Only natural plant materials will be accepted (limited to flowers, leaves, stems, roots and fruit). Neck lei must be 30 inches long, and hat lei must be between 22 inches to 24 inches long. Any lei containing mokihana, maile or an endangered plant will be disqualified.
Happy Tamanaha has won multiple awards for her leis, including top honors at the Honolulu May Day Lei Contest, the Kaua‘i Museum’s annual May Day Lei Contest and the Aloha Airlines May Day Lei Contest, where her lei was selected to be painted on Aloha Airlines planes.
Attendees must fill out an application to attend the workshop. Applications are available at the museum. Email education@kauaimuseum.org. For more information about the Kaua‘i Museum, visit www.kauaimuseum.org.