Celebrating May Day

As May Day approaches, the Chaminade University of Honolulu librarians wanted to share more about this special day and offer some suggestions from our collection to give more context and meaning to your celebration.

Begun in 1929, May Day (held annually on May 1st) is a celebration of spring, of Hawaiian culture, and of the Hawaiian value of aloha -- love and compassion. On this day, it is common for people to exchange lei as symbol of their love and friendship, for public celebrations to be held surrounding the beauty of lei, and even contents where participants create lavish lei to battle against their competitors.

The tradition of exchanging lei is believed to have arrived to the Hawaiian islands with Tahitian settlers who exchanged garlands of maile lei during peace agreements between opposing parties. Lei was also worn in Tahitian society to show membership of a group.  Today, lei are often exchanged between friends and family members as unspoken signs of aloha between people. Below is a select list of books related to lei customs and May Day for you to enjoy.

Hawaiian lei making: step-by-step guide by Laurie Shimizu Ide
Honolulu, HI: Mutual Publishers, 1998
SB449.5.L4 I34 1998 (Hawaiian Pacific Collection)

Easy-to-follow guide to create 47 different Hawaiian lei that can be worn by maker or given as a gift. Shimizu Ide is the author of 14 books on topics related to Hawaiian culture with 8 of her publications focusing in lei making.

May Day/Lei Day By Minako Ishii and Jeffrey Kent
Honolulu, HI: Bess Press, Inc. 2008
GT4945.I84 2008 (Juvenile Collection)

This flip book explores the connection of May Day between England and Hawaii -- its origins, how it is celebrated in each place, and modern activities in the May Day section of the book while the Lei Day section discusses the importance of lei in Hawaiian culture and how lei day has become a large part of local life.

Na lei makamae: the treasured lei by Marie McDonald, Paul Weissich, and Jean Cote (Photographer)
Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 2003
SB449.5.L4.M34 2003 (Hawaiian Pacific Collection)

Oral and written information is combined in this book to reveal the significance of making and wearing floral lei and the role lei play in Hawaiian rituals and dance. Within these pages, eighty-five flowers and plants are highlighted for their use in traditional lei construction including their Hawaiian name, botanical information, and wisdom from Hawaiian legends and chants to illustrate special meanings and uses of the plants.


For more information on these books or others like them, email Krystal Kakimoto, the Hawaiian-Pacific Librarian for assistance (krystal.kakimoto@chaminade.edu).