Lei (garland) dancer who dared to give a lei to a US soldier along with a kiss, leading it to become a tradition of lei distribution in modern times. To this day, leis remain a notable aspect of Hawaiian culture. Traditionalists give a lei by bowing slightly and raising it above the heart, allowing the recipient to take it, as raising the hands above another's head, or touching the face or head, is considered disrespectful. By tradition, only open lei are given to a pregnant or nursing woman. If due to allergies or other reasons a person cannot wear a lei which
Lei (garland) scale-like effect. Bougainvillea "lei" and feather hat "lei" often are made with this method. Kui: pierce, piercing stitch. A method of making a "lei" by sewing or piercing the decorative material with a needle and stringing it onto a thread. This is probably the style with which most Westerners are familiar. This method is commonly used to string flowers such as plumeria, rose, carnation, etc. Wili: wind, twist, crank, coil. A corkscrew-type twist, as found in a pig's tail and the seed pod of the "wiliwili" tree. A method of making a "lei" by winding fiber around successive short lengths