Pele makes lei of lehua from the very beginning, 1862.

[Found under: “HE MOOLELO NO HIIAKAIKAPOLIOPELE. HELU 9.”]

Holo mai Pele mai Kahikina,
A kau ka waa i Mookini,
Noho kaua i Kumalae,
Hooku Pele ma i ke kii,
Noho i ke kii a Pele ma, a ka pua o koi,
Kanaenae Pele ma ilaila,
Kai a huakai mai Pele,
A ka lae i Leleiwi,
Honi i ke ala o ka hala,
O ka lehua o Mokaulele,
Oia ka Pele a kui la,
He kunana hale Puuloa,
He hale moe o Papalauahi,
He halau no Kilauea,
Haule mai Pele mai Kahiki mai,
O ka hekili, o ke olai, o ka ua loku,
O ka ua paka, o Haihailaumeaiku,
O na wahine i ka wao o Maukele la,
Ho mai ana Pele liu la e,
Aumiki, auhuli, ka ale kua loloa,
Nuanua ka moana i ka lili o Pele,
O ke kua nui, ke kui la iluna o ka lani,
Wahia ka papaku, ka papaiaoa,
Ka papa a Kane ma i  hee ai i Maui,
Kahiliopua ke kua o ka la,
A Waiakahalaloa iakea,
O waa kai nana i ka auwaa lawaia,
Ku kapa kai e Kohala,
O ke akua lapu e Puuloa,
Ke uwalo la i ka mea hele,
Ke akua kui lehua o Kuaokala,
Kui mai ana i Makanoni,
Ka la puu la helu o Pualaa,
Ka la aku hoi e Kahuoi i ka uka anu,
E olohe koi ula e mauna mai ana,
Ka hikina o ka la o Kumukahi ma,
E haliko ae ana ka aama,
Lele hihee o Kohala, ke kau laina la,
E ka la pumehana ole o ka po
O ka la pe ai o ke ao kau aku iluna,
I ka malama la,
Elieli kau mai.

[From the time of her arrival to Hawaii, Pele fashions lei of lehua blossoms from Mokaulele in Hilo. May the majestic trees live forever. Until a solution is found to Rapid Ohia Death, wear your lehua in your heart, not in your lei!]

(Hoku o ka Pakipika, 3/6/1862, p. 4)

HokuoHawaii_3_6_1862_4.png

Ka Hoku o ka Pakipika, Buke I, Helu 24, Aoao 4. Maraki 6, 1862.