Of nearly 70 entries in this year’s Kaua’i Museum May Day Lei contest, 36 artists earned a coveted award for their hard work and creativity. Special categories allowed lei to be fashioned in a traditional or artistic style, but skill
Of nearly 70 entries in this year’s Kaua’i Museum May Day Lei contest, 36 artists earned a coveted award for their hard work and creativity.
Special categories allowed lei to be fashioned in a traditional or artistic style, but skill and craftsmanship showed in all entries. Lei were required to be made in a Hawaiian method, using flowers and other materials from monarchy or pre-monarchy days, so lei crafters had to do some research and some hiking to find the special plants and flowers they’d need.
Winners of the 11 special categories each received between $100-200 in cash and a ribbon. The winner of the Mayor’s Award, Jodi Gardner, also received a handcrafted koa calabash. Other prizes included canoe paddles and a weekend stay at sponsoring hotels. Winners from the nine general categories also won ribbons and $15—25 in cash.
“May Day takes me back to my childhood … memories of wonderful celebrations with flowers, music and dancing. We always honored the mixture of races and the multicultural heritage of our classmates. It was so wonderful and colorful — the entire community would gather at the school to celebrate ‘Lei Day,'” Mayor Kusaka remembered Wednesday.
Below is a listing of special categories and award winners.
The Hyatt Hotel and Resort Award: Colene I. Schaefer; The Radisson Kaua’i Beach Resort Award: Irmalee Pomroy; Kaua’i Marriott Resort & Beach Club Award: Irmalee Pomroy; Holiday Inn Sun Spree Resort Award: Linda Pitman; Mayor’s Award: Jodi Gardner; Peace Award: Marj Dente ; President’s Award: Marj Dente (same lei as Peace Award); Trustee’s Award: Sue Miyake; Family Flower Farms Award: Angela Olivas; Ginger Alexander Award: Manny Rapozo; Grace & Lyle Guslander “Aloha Spirit” Award: Kirby Guyer.
There were nine general categories in this year’s contest, and 24 winners.
Orange and/or yellow: Jodi Gardner, Noelani Ornellas; blue and/or purple: Nancy Fuertes-Fuller, Henry Zeevat, Irmalee Pomroy; pink and/or red: Kahanu Smith, Marina Pascua, Nancy Fuertes-Fuller; white and/or green: (36) EIvrine Chow, Marina Pascua, Kirby Guyer; mixed colors: Nancy Fuertes-Fuller, Kaiulani Kapumau, Jacquelyn Andaya; Plumeria: Elvrine Chow, Kirby Guyer, Jodi Gardner; most typically Hawaiian: Elvrine Chow, Nancy Fuertes-Fuller; hat: Irmalee Pomroy, Kirby Guyer, Winnie Ku’ulei Smith; ti leaf: Kaiulani Kapumau, Angela Olivas, Jodi Gardner.
