The weaving of lauhala represents a living tradition borne on the great arc of Pacific voyaging history. This thriving tradition is made immediate by masters of the art who transmit their knowledge to those who are similarly devoted to, and delighted by, the smoothness, softness, and that particular warm fragrance of a woven lauhala treasure. This, the third volume in the Hawaiʻinuiākea series, is an intriguing collection of articles and images about the Hawaiian tradition of ulanalauhala: the weaving, by hand, of driedPandanus tectorius leaves. The book considers the humble hala leaf through ... More

The weaving of lauhala represents a living tradition borne on the great arc of Pacific voyaging history. This thriving tradition is made immediate by masters of the art who transmit their knowledge to those who are similarly devoted to, and delighted by, the smoothness, softness, and that particular warm fragrance of a woven lauhala treasure. This, the third volume in the Hawaiʻinuiākea series, is an intriguing collection of articles and images about the Hawaiian tradition of ulanalauhala: the weaving, by hand, of driedPandanus tectorius leaves. The book considers the humble hala leaf through several, very different lenses: an analysis of lauhala items that occur in historic photographs from the Bishop Museum collections; the ecological history on hala in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific including serious challenges to its survival and strategies to prevent its extinction; perspectives—in Hawaiian—of a native speaker from Niʻihau on master weavers and the relationship between teacher and learner; a review—also in Hawaiian—of references to lauhala in poetical sayings and idioms; a survey of lauhala in Hawaiian cultural heritage and the documentation project underway to share the art with a broader audience; and a conversation with a master artisan known for his distinct and intricate construction of the lei hala.