Lei Day orange, Kahoolawe is gray, Kauai is purple, and Niihau is white. In the same order the flowers are lehua, lokelani, 'ilima, kukui, kauna'oa, hinahina, mokihana, and a pupu shell. Niihau is the only island without a plant as its symbol. Lei Day in Hawaii incorporates various ethnic traditions, other than their own. Throughout the history of the holiday, natives have struggled between preserving Hawaiian culture and integrating foreign traditions on the special day. This has brought tension to the day of celebration, but over the years has meshed into part of the festivities. Although many different ethnic groups such as
Lei (garland) someone for a variety of reasons. Most commonly, these reasons include peace, love, honor, or friendship for another person. Common events during which leis may be distributed include graduations, weddings, and school dances. Often the composition of a lei determines its significance; a lei made using a hala fruit, for instance, is said to be connected to love, desire, transition, and change. A "lei" ("nā lei" is the plural in the Hawaiian language) may be composed of a pattern or series of just about anything, but most commonly consists of fresh natural foliage such as flowers, leaves, vines, fern fronds,