Final Thoughts

It’s good to see that the Annual Hawaiian Lei Contest continues in popularity, artistry and skill. Maintenance of this traditional art is important, not just to the Hawaiian community, but to the world.

Capturing the basic data for this document was a challenge. A photo-set (generally two photos taken with one shutter press) was taken every 5 to 6 seconds for the 17 minutes spent with the lei shown in this document. That’s a fast pace as there was a distinct desire to get complete coverage. A poorly pointed shot would mean a gap in the data. Sometimes, there are no alternatives. Fortunately, it worked.

Working through the photos and extracted data provided a welcome slow pace examination of the lei entries. It’s unfortunate that there isn’t a practical way to show all the contest submissions. The winners shown here are just the tip of the “artistic iceberg.” Images of many more of the lei should be archived for posterity.

The data were analyzed with programming in the R language. This document wouldn’t have been possible without this kind of analytical support.

The success of this event is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. The Honolulu City and County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Committee overseeing this event, and the participants themselves all deserve to be congratulated for their efforts.

Thank you for making this event possible.