Every Wednesday morning, from nine to noon, the Lanakila Multi-Purpose Senior Center (LMPSC), operated by Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, comes alive with laughter, chatter, and the gentle rustling of ti leaves. Around 25 dedicated kūpuna gather faithfully in a room filled with love and purpose. Since late January, they have met each week to craft ti leaf lei—symbols of respect, remembrance, and aloha.
The ti leaves, generously donated by the City and County of Honolulu, the Lyon Arboretum, Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, Foster Botanical Garden, and even the kūpuna themselves, are carefully prepared through a thoughtful process. First, the strong central rib of each leaf is removed. Then the leaves are washed and frozen for two days to make them soft and pliable for lei-making. It takes about 3 to 4 leaves to make just one lei, but the kūpuna work patiently and steadily, guided by tradition and fueled by heartfelt purpose.
A special connection has formed with Foster Botanical Garden, where one of their staff members regularly visits the center to deliver fresh ti leaves. Once completed, the lei are picked up and stored by the City and County of Honolulu, ensuring they are ready for respectful distribution on Memorial Day.
Each lei they create carries a sacred duty. These green garlands of aloha are not made for celebrations or parties, but for honoring the fallen. Every Memorial Day, a lei is placed on each of the 53,000 graves at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, more commonly known as Punchbowl. Each Boy Scout not only places a lei and a flag at the grave, but also stands in solemn respect and salutes—one final gesture of honor for the sacrifices made. This moving tradition transforms the cemetery into a sea of green and gratitude.
Another 10,000 lei are delivered to the Hawaiʻi State Veterans Cemetery in Kāneʻohe, where Girl Scouts perform the same act of honor and remembrance. Each lei is a silent message: You are remembered. You are loved. You are not forgotten.
Though their official goal is to produce 8,000 lei each year, the kūpuna of LMPSC are known to exceed expectations. Last year, through their dedication and teamwork, they produced an incredible 12,000 lei. And this year, they’ve already surpassed their 8,000 goal—with weeks still to go before Memorial Day.
Their hands may move slowly, but their spirits are strong. In every twist and tie, there is mana, there is gratitude, there is aloha.
For these kūpuna, lei-making is more than a craft. It is a kuleana—a responsibility to honor the sacrifices of veterans, and a gift from one generation to another.
