The Pua Story...
For most of her professional career, owner Julia has been an environmental educator, naturalist and science communicator from formal teacher to wilderness instructor to conservation biologist.
She is passionate about facilitating mindful experiences and for people to deepen their connection,
understanding and sensory discovery of the natural world.
After moving to Hawai`i Island in early 2016, the magical world of flowers began to open to her:
their seductive role in pollination, their geometric beauty, their gentle essence and their place
in understanding Hawai`ian mythology & story (mo`olelo).
Creating floral & botanical arrangements quickly became a hobby, and when Julia moved back
to her home state of Connecticut, she continued her craft with local plants,
sharing her creations with friends and family.
After 3 years teaching high school biology, the call back to flowers was too strong to resist.
Thus was born Pua (flower) le`a (joy/passion) Floral whose namesake pays tribute
to its origins in Hawai`i. Its mission is guided by values of aloha spirit,
mindfulness in nature and mālama `āina (care of the land and that which feed us).
Julia is humbled and honored to bring a beginner version of modern lei po`o to workshop guests.
Left: Running a booth at a beach clean-up Hapuna State Park, Hawaii Island.
Right: Leading a compost microbiology unit at Kohala High School for AP Biology students
'Ukuli'i ka pua, onaona i ka mau'u
Tiny is the flower, yet it scents all the grasses around it
- Hawai`ian Proverb -
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Note on Cultural Appropriation
Pua Le`a acknowledges the origins of lei as a Native Hawai`ian (Kānaka Maoli) craft. Our designs are based on modern interpretations of floral crowns popular in Hawaii today and widely available for sale as a celebration of flowers, not as replicas of traditional designs. We do our best to honor the art of lei by incorporating Hawai`ian language, protocols and lei historical context into our workshops.
Julia offers a heartfelt mahalo and wishes to acknowledge her mentors in Hawai`i
who taught her this craft and the true meaning of aloha.
