Kumukahi

We often think of flowers and plants when we think of lei. But on Ni‘ihau, lei are made from shells. These are not the cheap shell lei you find in stores in Waikīkī. These are intricate, beautiful works of art made by the people of Ni‘ihau—and sometimes Kaua‘i—using hundreds and thousands of tiny shells that have been carefully gathered, prepared, and selected. Some artisans work for months or even years on a single lei.

When Captain Cook arrived in Hawai‘i in 1778, one of the gifts he received was a Ni‘ihau shell lei made of mostly kahelelani shells. This lei is now housed in the British Museum. 

Ni‘ihau shell lei became fashionable in the Hawaiian Kingdom, with ali‘i (chiefesses) like Queen Emma and Queen Kapi‘olani wearing shell lei in their formal portraits. It is said that Kapi‘olani’s shell lei caused quite a stir when she attended Queen Victoria’s jubilee in London.

The people of Ni‘ihau are not the only ones who make shell lei. However, over the years, Ni‘ihau has earned a reputation for fine craftsmanship and for having the highest-quality shells. The shells that wash up on Ni‘ihau are the finest in Polynesia. The healthy environment and lack of pollution running into the sea produce shells with an uncommon luster. Experts can look at the shells in a lei and tell if they are from Ni‘ihau.

It takes hard work and skill to gather, sort, prepare, and string small shells into a pleasing pattern. There are many options for gathering shells on Ni‘ihau, and lei makers have their preferred places: Taununui, Pahuhau, Waiapalo, Tahio, Puketua, and Putaiti. Shells are pierced with a specially designed needle and strung together in various styles such as wili, square tie, poepoe, crown flower, pīkake, and others.

The shells come in a variety of types. Among the most commonly used are momi, laiki, and kahelelani. Within each type, the shells are further categorized by color. For example, colors for momi include tua ula (off-white), uliuli (blue), tahataha (gold), onikiniki eleele (black striped), lenalena (butterscotch), teoteo maitai (pure white). The rarest colors are the most valuable.