The ti leaf ("ki," "lau ki" or "la'i") was used in traditional Hawaiian dance. However, it is only the straight green ti leaf (as opposed to the wavy one used by kahuna) that is used. The red varieties of ti leaves are never used. These are late introductions in Hawai'i's horticulture. The now popular ti leaf skirt was introduced by Gilbertese Islanders during the time of Kaläkaua. The Gilbertese ("Kilipaki" in Hawaiian) were here as contract sugar plantation laborers. King Kaläkaua liked them and told his own court dancers to use them. Since then, they have gained favor and we still use them in both traditional and modern hula dancing. The green ti leaf as adornments in hula were sometimes used but they were not twisted into lei as we know them today. Other kinds of perishable and non-perishable adornments were employed in the hula depending on what kind of hula it was to be used for and the geographic location of the hula troupe. Not all geographic locations supported the same flora or fauna as others. Certain kinds of materials, however, were not used such as the kauna'oa which is a parasitical plant (referred to as "makua 'ole" or "without support/parents") and considered "rubbish." Mineral material (i.e., stones) were not used as well as nuts and seeds. The popular use of nuts and seeds (i.e., kukui nuts) are more 20th century introductions to the hula. Hawaiians were careful as not to use "opala" ("rubbish") materials for adornments as hula was a dignified art.
Source: Kimo Alama Keaulana
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