It seems fairly obvious the kids in South Dakota just wanted to have a little fun, trying to get through another cold South Dakota winter.
According to Wikipedia:
Lei (/leɪ/) is a garland or wreath. More loosely defined, a lei is any series of objects strung together with the intent to be worn. The most popular concept of a lei in Hawaiian culture is a wreath of flowers presented upon arriving or leaving as a symbol of affection. This concept was popularized through tourism between the Hawaiian Islands and the continental United States in the 19th and 20th centuries.
From
another site:
Today, leis are used for a wide range of occasions and any type of lei can be worn by anyone. ...
Today, modern Hawaii has kept the lei as a visible and intrinsic part of its daily life. Many types of flowers and plants are used to create the modern lei, and many different techniques are used in order to create them. Today, lei makers use flowers from anywhere in the world and use them together to create the best quality leis that are beautiful as well as long lasting.
Of today’s amazing lei creations, some of the most common ways that flowers are being incorporated into them are by using many types of orchids in leis. Today’s leis also use fragrant blossoms from India, Mexico and anywhere else that beautiful blooms grow. New techniques for creating leis have come from around Polynesia, and many new nuts and seeds have been introduced into the process. ...
Heaven forbid we "appropriate" a symbol of love and affection. But wait, aren't the Hawaiians "appropriating" Indian and Mexican flowers for their leis? Oh, the humanity!