LEVEL UP WORKSHOP

Aloha Kakou! I’m Aleta Corpuz, the owner of Ho’īlina Arrangements. My passion lies in creating kokedamas, a Japanese horticultural art form I first encountered in 2015 during an elective floral arts course at the University of Hawaii Manoa in my final undergrad semester. Years later, while pursuing my graduate studies, my academic advisor (who also taught floral arts) crafted a kokedama using a native Hawaiian peperomia plant, ʻālaʻalawainui, for our department’s secretary. This plant holds special significance for me, as it was the focus of my Master’s Project, where I researched four native peperomia species to determine which would thrive as a potential “new” houseplant. Inspired by this, I began experimenting with various moss materials and plant combinations. After participating in several pop-up sales, I officially introduced my kokedamas into a boutique in 2024 and expanded my offerings to include workshops.