ʻehipa – Somewhat crooked. Experienced lei makers carefully sort their materials, and keep the tension even when making a lei so that it is not ʻehipa.
Nānā ʻole nā lima, ʻehipa ka lei. The hands don’t pay attention, the lei is crooked.
“My kūpuna who taught me lei making said that they could tell a person’s mental state by looking at the lei the person was making. If it was ʻehipa, a bit crooked, out of kilter, not evenly made, they would say the person’s mind was distracted, a bit out of kilter. They would advise doing something soothing, and then coming back to the lei with more focus.” ~Leilehua Yuen
Learn more lei-making terms with Hua ʻŌlelo Lei, a Lei Maker’s Glossary, available for only 99 cents on Amazon.