'Ei Katu' popular Cooks Islands flowers garland...

One of my craft projects last year was learning how to make an 'Ei katu' which has been popular in the Cook Islands  and Tahiti for many, many years. The words mean in their te reo (indigenous language) flowers garland worn upon the head similar to a lei (Hawaiian, Samoan word) of flowers worn around the neck.

Usually they are made with beautifully scented tropical flowers for specially occasions like weddings, 21sts birthdays and now graduations etc.

Now with the proliferation of so many silk flowers on the market, mainly from China, that looks so real and last so much longer, many Pasifika women have now taken to making silk flower garlands.

For me, I enjoy making them up with many different colour combinations and have worn them at book Festivals, family gatherings and made them up for family members too. I know of many Pasifika women who make these up for family members, groups, dances etc. and they are beautiful to behold in gatherings but mainly of Cook Islands women.

They have become quite popular and I'm also now selling them for those who are interested in wearing them as they can complement a wardrobe beautifully with the many colour combinations that can be made up. Just check out my 'Trademe' page of 'pacifichibiscus' for further details...