On the morning of June 4, the Hawaii group gathered the lei and prepared to hold a small blessing at a makeshift memorial of crosses, candles and flowers around a fountain in the town’s plaza.

Maui’s Ron Panzo, one of the leaders in the Lei of Aloha for World Peace project ... who said public offerings of flowers for the victims were stacked 4 feet high and 40 feet long.

lei makers typically make them from fresh flowers, leaves, or shells. Receiving a lei is a heartfelt gesture in Hawaiian culture. The craftsmanship behind creating a lei is exquisite, with each ...

Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading. Lei Day has been observed in Hawaii since May 1, 1927, when residents began wearing lei in downtown Honolulu.