‘Ike Pāpale: Lau Hala in Hawaiian Cultural Heritage
‘Ike Pāpale: Lau Hala in Hawaiian Cultural Heritage
Hula, poi, aloha shirts, surfboards, and lūʻau are some of the contemporary symbols of Hawaiʻi's local culture known around the world. Lau hala is less known outside of Hawaiʻi, but among many Native Hawaiians, it is an important symbol of Hawaiian identity. Photographic records, oral histories and recordings, and the oral transmission of knowledge document that hala is a plant that is deeply entwined in the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Hawaiʻi. The art of lau hala—the weaving—turning the lau (leaves) of the hala (pandanus palm) into mea ulana (woven objects) is fundamental to the craft and art of this treasured cultural heritage practice. This chapter discusses lau hala in Hawaiian cultural history; lau hala and cultural knowledge; standards of excellence within Hawaiian lau hala weaving communities; contemporary challenges to lau hala; and efforts to document, preserve, and bring new attention to lau hala.
Keywords: lau hala, weaving, Hawaiian tradition, Hawaiian culture, cultural tradition
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