The Hawaiian Art of Weaving

Weaving is an art form that has lasted through the test of time

Unlike other Hawaiian crafts, weaving is an art that did not die. Yes, it has transitioned. Our ancestors made hats to keep the sun at bay while working in the fields. Fans were made to cool you off during the hot summer months, sleeping mats were necessary, and it was used as cordage for tying bundles to latching canoes.

Today, we weave because it is fun

It is meditative. Weaving definitely teaches you patience. It can be a social event, or done in the solitaire environment of your home or back yard. It is an art form that is both mathematical and creative.

You may see the beautiful woven bracelets worn by many local women here in the islands. This craft, having its own personality, derived partly by the hand of the weaver, their mood, their perspective—and now a reflection of the wearer. Some, all of one color and one weave, to the intricate detailing of overlay and patterns in both the natural colors to bright yellows, reds, greens, and even black.

“X-bangle”

Come join us for a day of weaving under a hala tree near the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Info can be obtained from Amy Greenwell’s Botanical Garden, Ka Ulu Lauhala O Kona or HOEA (Hawaiian Ohana for Education in the Arts).