Volunteers from Hawaii presented a 49-foot “Lei of Aloha” June 22 to commemorating the 49 deceased victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting.
The memorial item took four days to create, requiring the work of 400 Maui volunteers, including the governor of Hawaii, and four truckloads of flowers.
The Lei was presented to the public during a special Hawaiian ceremony, complete with hula and fire dancers, at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center from 2 – 3 p.m.
It also includes 49 shells, each one inscribed with one of the 49 victims’ names.
Throughout the presentation, natives sang Hawaiian hymns and spoke prayers in their language as everyone held hands in a circle.
Photos by Deanndra Meno.
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