is no fun at all
When one has to pee."
Anida Bedpan
The two least understood Hawaiian words are "lei" and "aloha". You will find "aloha" on the next page. Dictionaries define "lei" as "a necklace, garland, or diadem of flowers". To Hawaiians, a lei is a natural circle of achievements. When dying, an Hawaiian will say, "Now my lei is finished," i.e., "the circle is complete". "Pikake" is a favorite lei throughout Hawaii. Pikake is the Hawaiian word for both "Chinese jasmine" AND for a "peacock", in honor of Princess Kaiulani, whose natural fragrance and graceful, astonishing beauty seemed to embody the two. Although non-Hawaiians prefer to smell like animals (colognes and perfumes are based in animal secretions - musk from the ventral pouches of deer, castoreum from the beaver's 'okole gland, and civet from the 'okole sac of cats - is it any wonder animal HIV diseases are now so prevalent among humans?), Hawaiians prefer the distinctive natural aroma of an human being! "Yours is an alluring fragrance" is a common theme woven through Hawaiian song, poetry, love, stories, and dance. Despite claims by missionaries, leis were never work to mask the natural human scent (foul arm pit, crotch, and foot odors are caused by fungal and bacterial infections; these are not romantic scents, but clear warnings that person is not clean and healthy).
Each island has an official lei to celebrate its circle of achievements:
(Honolulu became the official capitol of Hawaii on August 30, 1850).
Kaho'olawe, Hawaii - Hinahina
(originally beach heliotrope until Kaho'olawe became "Target Island" for U.S. Military aircraft bombing exercises).
Kauai, Hawaii - Mokihana, made of fragrant berries from the Mokihana tree.
Lanai, Hawaii - Kaunaoa
Molokai, Hawaii - Kukui
Niihau, Hawaii - pupu (tiny, white sea shells)
Hawaii ("The Big Island") Lehua
