“Onaona ke ‘ala o ka maile i ka līhau ‘ia e ka ua noe”
Fragrant is the scent the maile, kept fresh and moist by the misty rain.

“Ku‘u pua ponimō‘ī”

One of our absolute favorite fragrances is maile, the twisting, native vine so familiar at local weddings and graduations. But maile is much more than just a lei to be given at special occasions.

Its delicate fragrance is imbued with the divine. In Hawaiian mythology, the Maile (nā Maile) are four sister goddesses whose kinolau (body form) are the four different kinds of maile. Where ever the sisters had ventured, the maile vine was surely to be found.

Maile is also sacred to Laka, the goddess of hula. Consequently, maile was draped on the hula altar, or kuahu. Dancers, or ‘ōlapa, would traditionally wear maile for skill and inspiration.

Unfortunately, maile is nowadays far more difficult to be found. Its rarity and cost has made its beloved scent a thing for special occasions.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy ke ‘ala o ka maile, the fragrance of maile, everyday. Kaua‘i-based company Mālie Organics has captured the essence of the maile in a range of beauty products it has called Koke‘e, named after Kōke‘e State Park on Kaua‘i. Mālie’s Koke‘e line includes a soy candle, body cream, and body wash. But our favorite is the organic mist. Just one spritz, and the scent of maile gently hangs in the air—making it perfect for a room or bed linens. It just makes us think a hike in the uplands or one of our childhood vists to a lei stand.

Even better, Mālie Organics products are natural with no chemicals or additives. Mālie’s founders, Dana and Shaun Roberts, extract their fragrance from local, sustainably grown plants in a hydrosol distillation process that captures their essence. Plus, every time you purchase a product from the Koke ‘e line, Mālie makes a donation to the Kōke‘e Resource Conservation Program.

Where to buy

Mālie Organic’s Kōke‘e Organic Mist  and line is available for $40 on the company’s online store. For a list of retailers carrying Mālie Organics products, click here.

Learn more about maile

‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i speakers can read more about the Maile sisters in S. N. Hale‘ole’s Ke Ka’ao o Lā‘ieikawai, available here on Ulukau.org.

Credits

Photos used above are used in accordance with the Creative Commons License. For photo information, click here for maile image and here for picture of Kōke‘e State Park on Kaua‘i.