Born and raised on the island of Hawaiʻi, Lahela Spencer was first introduced to the art of lei by her mother who would often make lei for flower shops in Kailua-Kona. As a child, Lahela was often tagging along as her mom would head into the forest or even the back yard in search of the perfect blooms. What they gathered was now cleaned, sorted, and made ready to be fashioned into lei. Mom would sit for hours and create many types of lei. Each one uniquely different displaying its own character and beauty.
Lahela continued her exploration of lei styles as a young hula dancer. Through hula, the skill of lei making, the knowledge of plants, and the environment in which we share enhanced her skills and developed a passion. Her commitment to hula has culminated to the formal right of ʻūniki as a Kumu Hula. Lahela has spent 20 years as a professional entertainer in Hawaiʻi and has been fortunate to travel the world in this profession. She has also been in the hospitality industry for over 10 years.
