A two-day Pa‘u Workshop will be held at Kona Historical Society on Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Held in conjunction with the upcoming King Kamehameha Day Celebration Parade on June 15, 2013 in Kailua-Kona, the workshop begins on Saturday with instruction in lei making for riders’ and horses’ lei, as well as the proper flowers and foliage used for each Hawaiian island. On Sunday, topics will include history of pa‘u, wrapping of the garment, equestrian skills and parade protocol. A panel of Hawaii Island kupuna will be on hand to share their knowledge and stories.
Open to the public, the workshop is designed for parade participants who will be riding in the traditional Hawaiian equestrian style known as “pa‘u,” which is characterized by long flowing skirts made of a single piece of fabric fastened at the waistline with kukui nuts. This year’s floral parade will feature eight pa‘u princesses’ equestrian units representing the major islands of Hawaii, as well as the Pa‘u Queen’s equestrian unit and Daughters of Hawaii unit.
The parade committee also seeks entrants in the categories of marching bands, floats, decorated vehicles, hula halau and mounted equestrian units. Volunteer and sponsorship opportunities are also available.