We’ve all been there. Minding our business, living our busy lives as we do, until you get the call from mum asking if you’ve finished the ula lole for your cousin’s milestone birthday party tomorrow. Now your Netflix binge has been interrupted by reality, and you’re hunched over the table late into the night, making enough ula lole to attend a special occasion with, without looking stingy.
Nothing beats a university graduation or a special awards event! Being able to gift colourful ribbon lei is a simple way to make it an even brighter celebration.
Ribbon lei can be found world wide, with different variations and colour combinations depending on where you're looking. In Gagana Samoa, they are known as ula lipine. These necklaces are made of braided fabric and can be personalised through colour.
What ways can you match ula lipine to an event or graduation?
There are awards all over the place throughout the year, here are a few ways how you can use ula lipine as a way to enhance the celebrations.
For a school or high school graduation the ula lipine could be in the same colours as the uniform
For a university graduation, you can match the colours of the ula lipine with the colour of the hood (scroll to the end of this blog to find a full list of graduation hood colours for New Zealand!)
If your workplace uses certain colours, you can combine these official colours for end of year awards
Choosing the favourite colours of the person who will receive the ula
Model Luisa Peterson wearing a 'Toa Samoa' quadruple braided Ula Lipine
How long do Ula Lipine last?
Depending on usage, these should last for years. This means if you are gifted this or purchase an ula lipine, you can continue to wear and use it for a long time!
Unsure of the colour of the graduation hood? Scroll below to find all colours for graduation ceremony hoods for Bachelors and Masters listed in New Zealand.
A dark and bright red double braided ula lipine (ribbon lei)
Arts
Degree
Colour of hood
BA, MA
Pink
BA(Hons)
Pink with pink band around outside edge
MCW
Pink with tan band around inside edge
MIndigSt
Pink with terracotta band around inside edge
MLitt
Pink with pink band around outside edge
MPP
Pink with dark brown band around inside edge
MTESOL
Pink with light brown band around inside edge.
Business and Economics
Degree
Colour of hood
BBIM
Apricot
BCom, MCom
Orange
BCom(Hons)
Orange with orange band around outside edge
BProp, MProp
Silver grey
BProp(Hons)
Silver grey with silver grey band around outside edge
MBA
Burgundy
MComLaw
Orange with light blue band around inside edge
MCE
Orange with terracotta band around inside edge
MIntBus
Orange with light brown band around inside edge
MMgt
Orange with tan band around inside edge
MMktg
Orange with burgandy band around inside edge
MProfAcctg
Orange with orange band around outside edge.
Creative Arts and Industries
Degree
Colour of hood
BAS, MAS
Lemon
BArch, MArch
Lemon with two lemon bands around outside edge
MArch(Prof)
Lemon with lemon band around outside edge
MArch(Prof)HerCons
Lemon with turquoise band around inside edge
MArch(Prof)UrbDes
Lemon with tan band around inside edge
MArch(Prof)UrbPlan(Prof)
Lemon with light brown band around inside edge
BDanceSt
Jade green
BDanceSt(Hons)
Jade green with jade green band around the outside edge
BFA, MFA
Gold
BFA(Hons)
Gold with gold band around outside edge
BMus, MMus
White
BMus(Hons)
White with white band around outside edge
BMusEd
Emerald green with white band around inside edge
BPerfArts
Pink with dark brown band around inside edge
BPlan, MPlan
Chartreuse green
BUrbPlan
lime green lining
BUrbPlan(Hons)
lime green with lime band around outside edge
BVA
Gold lining with jade green band around inside edge
MBldgSc
Lemon with dark brown band around inside edge
MCPA
Pink with white band around inside edge
MDanceSt
Jade green with dark brown band on the outside edge
MPlanPrac
Chartreuse green with dark brown band around inside edge
MUrbDes
Lemon with chartreuse green band around inside edge
MUrbPlan
Lime green with light brown band around inside edge
MUrbPlan(Prof)HerCons
Lime green with turquoise band around inside edge
MUrbPlan(Prof)UrbDes
Lime green with lemon band around inside edge.
Education
Degree
Colour of hood
BEd, MEd
Emerald green
BEd(Tchg)
Emerald green
BEd(Tchg)Hons
Emerald green with emerald green band around outside edge
BEd(TESOL)
Emerald green with dark brown band around inside edge
BHumServ
Buff with light brown band around inside edge
BPE
Emerald green with light brown band around inside edge
BPE(Hons)
Emerald green with light brown band around inside edge and emerald green band around the outside edge
BSocSci(Human Services)
Buff with dark brown band around inside edge
BSW, MSW
Buff
BSW(Hons)
Buff with buff band around outside edge
MEdLd
Emerald green with tan band around inside edge
MSW(Prof)
Buff with buff band around outside edge
MTchg(Primary)
Emerald green with emerald green band around outside edge
MTchg(Secondary)
Emerald green with emerald green band around outside edge.
Engineering
Degree
Colour of hood
BE, ME
Dark violet
BE(Hons)
Dark violet with dark violet band around outside edge
MEMgt
Dark violet with dark brown band around inside edge
MEngSt
Dark violet with light brown band around inside edge.
Interfaculty
Degree
Colour of hood
BTech
Dark blue with taupe band around inside edge
MBioEnt
Dark blue with orange band around inside edge
MDisMgt
Dark violet with dark brown band around inside edge
MEdMgt
Emerald green with orange band around inside edge
MEnergy
Dark violet with dark blue band around outside edge
MHealthMgt
Lilac with orange band around inside edge
MHerCons
Lemon lining with pink band around inside edge
MOR
Dark violet with taupe band around inside edge
MProfStuds
Pink with taupe band around inside edge.
Law
Degree
Colour of hood
LLB, LLM
Light blue
LLB(Hons)
Light blue with light blue band around outside edge
LLM(Envir)
Light blue with dark brown band around inside edge
MEnvLS
Light blue with light brown band around inside edge
MLS
Light blue with tan band around inside edge.
MTaxS
Orange with dark brown band around inside edge.
Medical and Health Sciences
Degree
Colour of hood
BHSc, MHSc
Lilac
BHSc(Hons)
Lilac with lilac band around outside edge
BHB, MMedSc
Crimson
BHB(Hons)
Crimson with crimson band around outside edge
MBChB
Crimson with two crimson bands around outside edge
BBioMedSc(Hons)
Lilac with dark brown band on the inside edge and lilac band around the outside edge
BMedSc(Hons)
Crimson with crimson band around outside edge
BNurs, MNurs
Navy blue
BNurs(Hons)
Navy blue with navy blue band around outside edge
BOptom
Blue-green
BPharm
Grey-green
MAud
Lilac with 25mm dark brown band around inside edge
MBioMedSc
Lilac with 75mm dark brown band around inside edge
MClinEd
Crimson with dark brown band around inside edge
MClinPharm
Grey-green lining with dark brown band on the edge
MHlthLd
Lilac with terracotta band on the edge
MHealthPsych
Lilac lwith tan band on the edge
MMH
Lilac with light brown band around the inside edge
MNursPrac
Navy blue with dark brown band around the inside edge
MPharmPrac
Grey-green with dark brown band around inside edge
MPH
Lilac with crimson band around inside edge
Science
Degree
Colour of hood
BSc, MSc
Dark blue
BSc(Hons)
Dark blue with dark blue band around outside edge
MInfoTech
Dark blue with light brown band around inside edge
MSLTPrac
Dark blue with dark brown band around inside edge
Theology
Degree
Colour of hood
BTheol, MTheol
Forest green
BTheol(Hons)
Forest green with forest green band around outside edge.
You may have been to a graduation or a birthday party and seen bright and colourful lolly lei or chocolate lei and wondered what they mean. Read on to learn more.
What is a lolly necklace?
Lolly lei (necklaces) are a confectionary and modern version of traditional pacific necklaces. The Samoan name for lolly lei is ula lole. There is no set rule on what type of lolly or chocolate are used when making them, but bright is right! The lollies or chocolates are wrapped in either cling wrap or cellophane, tied together then bright coloured ribbons are tied and curled between each lolly. Why lollies? Well, they are a sweet treat and also a lot easier to get your hands on in New Zealand and Australia rather than the traditional foliage used and found in the pacific.
The 'Happy Birthday' ula lole. It includes bright yellow and blue ribbon (the colours can be changed on request!) and a happy birthday ribbon
When can I gift an ula lole?
Ula lole are a way to show your alofa (love) to a special person during a big milestone in their life. There is not really a limit to where you can gift ula lole as long as the event is about celebration. A few examples of where ula lole would be appropriate includes a kindergarten/primary/intermediate/high school graduation, a wedding, a birthday, an awards night, a special holiday, or any milestone event.
Khalon proudly wearing a child sized 'Happy Birthday' ula lole and an adult sized 'Yarmy' ula lole at his fifth birthday dinner
Why should I choose ula lole from Ulalelei?
We take pride in making sure your ribbons are curled to perfection, but also encourage you to give making ula lole a go! But if time is a factor, we provide a high quality solution that is made with care and love. You can trust that we will do our best to personalise or meet your requests if you have a special graduation to prepare for.
For example, we recently had a graduation order for an Engineering graduate. As per the request from a loving mother, we swapped out the usual orange and yellow ribbon for the 'Lolly scramble' ula lole and replaced it with purple ribbons, this was matched with a ribbon lei (ula lipine) which was purple too. There are many ways you can make sure your gift is perfect for your loved one. We're always happy to talk before purchase to make sure you're clear on what we can do for you! You can get in touch by emailing info@ulalelei.co.nz
A purple and white Ula Lipine Quadruple necklace, one half of the gift for an Engineer graduate
