What is the meaning of May Day in Hawaii?
Held on May 1 each year, May Day is a statewide celebration of the aloha spirit and the giving of the flower lei. A famous song captures the essence of May Day best, “May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii, garlands of flowers everywhere, all of the colors in the rainbow, maidens with blossoms in their hair.”
Is May 1st a Lei Day in Hawaii?
In 1929, May 1 of each year was proclaimed as “May Day is Lei Day in Hawai’i,” by Governor Wallace R. Farrington – to be observed “by all true friends of Hawai’i.” It is a day of celebration – not a State holiday.
Is May 1st a Lei Day?
While Lei Day always occurs on May 1, no matter what day of the week, each celebration has a particular theme which coincides with a specific flower/plant that must be used in the lei submitted to the theme lei category of the colorful and coveted lei contest.
What celebrates Lei Day?
Lei Day is a celebration of Hawaiian culture, or the aloha spirit. People commonly celebrate by giving gifts of leis to one another. Schools also put on plays and elect a Lei Day court of Kings and Queens to represent the different islands. Each island has its own symbol that is composed of a color and a flower.
What is the origin of Lei Day?
The first Lei Day was in 1928 and celebrated at the Bank of Hawai’i in downtown Honolulu. The Honolulu Star Bulletin stated that the throng of people “taxed the capacity of the building.” From keiki to kūpuna, kama’āina to malihini – it was a day celebrated throughout the islands.
What are May Day traditions?
People would leave a paper basket or cone containing spring flowers and sweets on each other’s doorsteps, usually anonymously. This tradition was popular through the 19th and 20th centuries, especially with children or sweethearts. The custom was to knock on the door, yell “May basket!” and then run.
When did Lei Day start in Hawaii?
1928
The first Lei Day was in 1928 and celebrated at the Bank of Hawai’i in downtown Honolulu. The Honolulu Star Bulletin stated that the throng of people “taxed the capacity of the building.” From keiki to kūpuna, kama’āina to malihini – it was a day celebrated throughout the islands.
Where is Lei Day celebrated?
the Hawaiian Islands
Lei Day is celebrated May 1st of every year across the Hawaiian Islands with a vast number of ceremonies, events, and performances marking this fun and family-friendly holiday.
When did Lei Day start?
Who started May Day in Hawaii?
Don Blanding
History of May Day in Hawaii
In 1927, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin published an article written by Don Blanding, a poet from Oklahoma, which suggested creating a new holiday centered around the Hawaiian custom of wearing and making leis.
Who started Lei Day?
1927 gives birth to the idea of Lei Day Poet laureate, Don Blanding, thought that Hawai’i should have a day set aside to celebrate and recognize the custom of giving and receiving lei.
When was the first Lei Day?
May 1, 1928
In 1927, Blanding and a fellow “Honolulu Star-Bulletin” newspaper writer named Grace Tower Warren came up with the idea of honoring the tradition of the lei, which they thought to be in decline. The first Lei Day was held on May 1, 1928 and was a resounding success.
What should I wear on May Day?
The houses in the villages are decorated with flowers and people traditionally wear red and white clothes. There are further celebrations in Cawsand Square with Morris dancing and May pole dancing.
Why do people give flowers on May Day?
Where Did the Tradition of Sending May Day Flower Baskets Come From? Although not as popular in America as it is in European countries, May Day is a day of celebrating spring, fertility and femininity. It is celebrated on May 1st and the history of this holiday goes back to Roman times as a festival of flowers.
What is the history of the lei?
Leis were originally worn by ancient Polynesians and some Asian people as part of custom. They were often used by Native Hawaiians to signify their ranks and royalty. They are also worn as a form of honor to each other and their gods.
What is a May Day basket?
In some communities, hanging a May basket on someone’s door was a chance to express romantic interest. If a basket-hanger was espied by the recipient, the recipient would give chase and try to steal a kiss from the basket-hanger. First lady Grace Coolidge receives a May basket from young children in 1927.
What’s the tradition of May Day?
Traditions often include gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral garlands, crowning a May Queen (sometimes with a male companion), and setting up a Maypole, May Tree or May Bush, around which people dance. Bonfires are also part of the festival in some regions.
What is traditional May Day food?
Each culture celebrates May Day with specific foods and dishes, too, including butter and beer in Great Britain; a type of mead and fried dough cakes in Finland; and eggs and sweets in Italy.
How do I accept a lei?
Traditionally, a Hawaiian lei is presented to another by gently placing it around their neck, accompanied by a kiss on the cheek. One can also bow slightly, holding the lei just above their heart, welcoming the recipient to take the lei and place it around their own neck.
What flower is used for leis?
Leis are most commonly made of carnations, kika blossoms, ginger blossoms, jasmine blossoms, or orchids and are usually about 18 inches (46 cm) long.
Why is it called May Day?
Mayday got its start as an international distress call in 1923. It was made official in 1948. It was the idea of Frederick Mockford, who was a senior radio officer at Croydon Airport in London. He came up with the idea for “mayday” because it sounded like the French word m’aider, which means “help me.”
What is the May Day basket tradition?
Why do you give people flowers on May Day?
Can you bring a lei home from Hawaii?
It is also nice to take it home as a memento of your amazing Hawaiian vacation. So you might be wondering, can I bring flower leis home from Hawaii? The answer is yes.
When should you not wear a lei?
Last, but not least, there is one more taboo…it is considered (in Hawaii) impolite to give a closed (tied) lei to a pregnant woman. Many Hawaiians feel that a closed lei around the neck is bad luck for the unborn child. (Head Hakus and open-ended leis are acceptable to give to pregnant woman.)