Haiku School had our May Day on May 23rd this year.
May Day is celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival.
In Hawaii, we get to enjoy a holiday unique to Hawaii called “Lei Day," - rich in Hawaiian chants, music, hula, leis, and language.
Usually, students dance hula in front of the royal court procession (5th graders).
Our Hawaiian Studies teacher, Kupuna Nancy taught them a dance item. The students practiced very hard. (Some voluntarily stayed even during recess to practice).
Kupuna Nancy was so generous to make all the 2nd grade girls (sorry boys) real ti leaf skirts for the May Day.
Before May Day, I went to her home in Haiku and helped her. It was my first time to make ti leaf skirts, and I enjoyed making them. I could make only several within the time I had. Kupuna Nancy made most of them as a volunteer work. We were very grateful for her kindness.
We had asked the students to bring some ti leaves.
I tried one just for fun.
All the 2nd grade girls looked fantastic and lovely in the skirts.
Kupuna Nancy came to school and adjusted each skirt according to each girl and wrote their names down. She really went above and beyond. Mahalo, Kupuna Nancy!
We made plumeria flower leis for girls.
Then we made ti leaf leis for boys.
On May Day, I took many photos of my dear students as if each shot was a love letter from me to them, trying to capture their essence. Unfortunately, for the sake of their privacy, I cannot share the photos on my blog, but please imagine how heart-touching it was and how proud I was to see their bright and lovable smiles dancing adorned by those gorgeous ti leaf skirts, ti leaf leis, and plumeria leis.
I was remembering how they looked when they first came to me at the beginning of the school year. They have grown so much!!
The photos above and below were taken by a couple of my students who liked to play with my camera. I hope to move forward wearing their smiles as my lei around my neck and my heart.
By the way, I also danced hula with other teachers... I've never studied hula outside of this school function, but each year, I loved it - telling stories with hand gestures, facial expressions and movements... so much in common with Odissi dance.
With one of my students :-)
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