My mom Poakalani was a great story teller. She loved to talk about “HER” good old days; especially growing up with her sister Danette and cousin Francene and of course her home on School Street. She would reminisce about how they would dare each other to walk through Oahu cemetery at night and pick the Make Man flowers that grew there. Of course my mom would always win because she was never afraid of that cemetery believing her family who were buried there would keep her safe. And the Make Man(Dead Man) flower… was the plumeria blossoms given that nick name only because it grew in many of the island cemeteries. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/ js636-bk6
My Tutu(Grandmother) was a lei seller. Her home was always filled with a variety of flowers and someone was always stringing the blossoms into beautiful leis, but of all the flowers they strung, by far the plumeria was the prettiest because of it’s variety of colors. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js673-bk8
The plumeria flower found throughout Polynesia is a favorite in Hawaii. It’s overwhelming scented flower was strung into floral leis and used especially by the hula girls. Dancing to the strum of the ukulele the plumeria leis enhanced the beauty of the dancer. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js668-bk8
Every Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:00pm during my High School Summers I danced with my Hula Halau at the Ala Moana Center Stage. I needed to have all my costumes ironed and prepped and my leis sewn for each performance. But unlike my other Hula Sisters it was easy for me to find the plumeria blossoms. My paternal grandparents had their own plumeria garden right in their own back yard. So I spent my mornings picking and stringing the beautiful plumeria leis.