The small Kauaʻi town of Kapaʻa is quintessential Hawaiʻi. Here, time runs languidly. Excitement is usually found in the saltwater and sand. Flip-flops and shorts are the unofficial uniform; a shaka the unofficial handshake. Quaint communities such as this are found across the islands, exuding an energy akin to a laid back small-town rather than the aspirational tourist locales that visitors see them as.
Every once and a while, though, these usually sleepy streets get swept up in a whirlwind of celebration. As the high school term ends, exuberant banners and handmade signs announcing upcoming graduates decorate the town. Seniors’ cars are decked out in congratulatory messages. And extended family members fly in from across the islands to attend the ceremony. Because in Hawaiʻi, high school graduations aren’t staid pomp-and-circumstance affairs. Instead, the commencement feels more like a boisterous neighborhood block party, complete with airhorns and cowbells and resounding calls of chee-hoo (a classic Hawaiʻi cheer).
Through the years, these ceremonies have become known for their unique style, and especially the lei: handcrafted garlands decorated with anything from foraged florals and silken ribbons to dollar bills and candy, worn by the students. Lei-making is a tradition rooted in Hawaiian culture, brought to the islands by Polynesian voyagers and laden with symbolism. Giving out a lei is an extension of your love and depending on how intricate they are, one can take hours to complete. Families often gather the flowers themselves, making special trips to other islands to fly back florals from places with personal resonance. While not exclusive to graduations, the sheer volume at any commencement makes it a sartorial symbol of the lively event. Seeing a graduate tottering around with dozens of lei, their vision obscured by a stack of garlands up to their eyes, is a common sight.
Photographer Akasha Rabut visited Kapaʻa High School’s graduation, the first since Covid-era restrictions were rolled back, to document some well-decorated seniors and we asked them what makes Hawaiʻi’s commencement traditions so special.
Mikaila
What makes Hawaiʻi’s graduations special?
How close-knit the community is. We grew up with these kids, went to preschool with them. And you have to be ready with a ton of lei because you have to give to everybody you know.
What was the most meaningful lei that you received?
I got a long pīkake lei from my mom. It was the same length as the one my great-grandmother gave to her when she graduated high school. My mom also gave it to my sister when she graduated in 2021. So, it’s become a kind of tradition to remember my great-grandmother by. My mom and my sister also made me a nine-strand tī leaf lei with leaves from my grandmother’s place on the Big Island. She couldn’t make it because she has poor health, but she was able to be there through the lei.
What did graduating feel like?
Exhilarating because there were a lot of perks that we got that other graduations didn’t get. They did a flower drop for us by helicopter and had a live band when we walked in. And knowing that all of our loved ones were watching. It just felt so special.
Chysen
Why did you give out lei?
To me, receiving and giving a lei is to honor, a celebration or even to symbolize love for one another.
What was the most meaningful lei that you received?
All my lei were special because it was for a moment and event that really meant something to me.
What did graduating feel like?
If I were to describe it in three words, it would be: exciting, special, finally.
Reyna
What makes Hawaiʻi’s graduations special?
I think it’s different because it’s a smaller community. We only have four high schools on the island, and a lot of the people you’re graduating with you’ve known your whole life. It feels more like a family event than just graduation. It’s more than graduation.
Why did you give out lei?
I gave out lei to congratulate my friends for hitting this milestone. I made the lei myself, so I’m giving them my love and wishing them the best moving forward.
What was the most meaningful lei that you received?
It was the lei that my mom gave me. She’s the one who pushed me to finish school — after all the Covid stuff, it was kind of hard. Her lei was definitely the best because it meant the most to see her put it on me. She actually made ten different ones, but my favorite was this beautiful gardenia one she had made.
What did graduating feel like?
Thankfulness, coming together and a sense of relief.
Maximus
What makes Hawaiʻi’s graduations special?
A big part of it is that I knew a lot of people whose families flew in from other islands. It was just so exciting to see so much family there to come and cheer them on.
Why did you give out lei?
It’s like respect. It’s congratulations. It’s an appreciation for the time and effort they put to achieve something, so you’re showing them a little time and effort back.
What was the most meaningful lei that you received?
I got a money lei from my mom. And my girlfriend, she went over to her friend’s house and they spent all day making lei. She had this beautiful haku lei that she made me. That was definitely a highlight.
Jose and Jesus
What makes Hawaiʻi’s graduations special?
The lei and the weather. And family because everyone is family here.
Why did you give out lei?
It’s like you’re blessing everybody that you’re giving a lei to.
What was the most meaningful lei that you received?
The money crowns we were wearing. Our aunty made it for us. It’s tradition. They made one for our older brother, too, when he graduated.
Genelyn
What makes Hawaiʻi’s graduations special?
How you know everyone here.
Why did you give out lei?
It’s like wishing them good luck.
What was the most meaningful lei that you received?
The ones that I got from my mom. She wanted me to have the most lei during graduation. She was so excited that she kept buying more and more. I honestly didn’t want to walk for graduation. But my mom wasn’t able to graduate high school. I was doing this for her, in a way.
Jahzi
Why did you give out lei?
I was just happy that we all graduated.
What was the most meaningful lei that you received?
My money lei. My mom and my step-mom made me a couple of money lei, and I got $250 total from all of them.
What did graduating feel like?
I was really happy because I thought I wasn’t going to graduate. So, that day was amazing.
Dylan
What makes Hawaiʻi’s graduations special?
Here, everyone knows everybody. And graduations are almost like a family reunion for the community. My dad is from here and was following me the whole time, giving out lei. And it was people he hadn’t seen in years. It’s almost exciting not just for the graduates but for the families too.
Why did you give out lei?
It’s our main way of showing celebration. It’s how you show that you’re proud of someone and that you love them.
What was the most meaningful lei that you received?
My favorite was the haku that my cousin made me. I actually got it the day after graduation. But it was super cool because he’s never made them before, and it turned out really pretty. He put a lot of planning into it, asking me what colors I would want, and he went out of his way to find those flowers for me.
What did graduating feel like?
It’s just a whole lot of love.
Credits
Photography Akasha Rabut