Pu'upu'u lei, pali i ka 'a'i.

Pu'upu'u lei, pali i ka 'ā'ī. Imperfection (in the form of a lei), (stands majestic like a) cliff on the neck. There is beauty in imperfection and effort is appreciated. Let us make our mistakes and learn from them. What a wonderful reminder this 'ōlelo no'eau is to each of us. Let's first look at its literal meaning. In our culture we strive for perfection in the art of lei making. The final product is a testament to our craftsmenship. I know some Kumu, haumāna and even parents of hula students who will take a part their lei several times trying to make as perfect as possible. Yes, my husband is one of those hula daddys. He'll make a lei, take it apart, make it again and when almost pau, he takes a part again. A constant striving for perfection. This is part of who we are and it reflects the idea of Kūlia I Ka Nu'u, Striving for the summit. This 'ōlelo no'eau, however, reminds us that a few flaws and imperfections add character to our lei. As we strive for perfection there are many lessons we learn along the way. It is through our mistakes that we gain the greatest knowledge and experience. And so it is with life! We are not always going to be perfect. Our flaws and our imperfections help us to grow. We learn from our mistakes and we are better able to help others who cross our path. Sometimes it's hard to watch our loved ones, especially our keiki, make those mistakes, but ultimately this is how they learn, this how we learned. Indeed, pu'upu'u lei, pali ka 'ā'ī.

Aloha nō, a hui hou!
Luana