In 19th-century Hawaii, 12 yards of fabric and six kukui nuts, used to fit the cloth snug against the body, were needed to protect women’s pretty dresses from getting dirty as they rode on horseback.

Today the practice of draping female equestrians is purely ceremonial, with the tradition on full display by regal pa’u riders at the annual Aloha Festivals Floral Parade.

"No pins are allowed," said Lu-Ann Mahiki Lankford-Faborito, who will serve as pa’u queen at Saturday’s parade. "It takes about a half-hour to be wrapped using the six kukui nuts. It’s harder to wrap skinnier girls. … Sometimes they end up with bruises."

Lankford-Faborito, a resident of Lualualei Valley in Waianae, has been riding in pa’u parades for 17 years, participating in the King Kamehameha Celebration, Aloha Festivals, the Merrie Monarch Festival and events on Molokai and Maui.

She started with Aloha Festivals back in 1993 when she served as an attendant, and has won awards for her pa’u presentations. Lankford-Faborito also is known in the state’s rodeo community as seven-term president of the Hawaii Women’s Rodeo Association, organizer of the state’s largest all-girls rodeo, set this year for Oct. 2 at Kualoa Ranch, and a volunteer for the Hawaii High School Rodeo Association and 4-H.

"Serving as the pa’u queen for this year’s festival is not only a lifelong dream, but also a privilege and an honor," she said. "It is an opportunity to bring to life some of Hawaii’s richest and most colorful history and to play a role in carrying on these important traditions that have shaped our culture."

Although the draping ritual closely hews to tradition, Lankford-Faborito goes for comfort — jeans and a hula top — underneath the yards of satin and velvet she wears while on horseback. As for what the public sees, there are numerous rules that must be observed: no nail polish, watches, earrings or other jewelry, except wedding rings, and no more than three Hawaiian bracelets. Male attendants also must be well groomed.

"The judges take points away for those things," she said.

Lankford-Faborito has chosen green — the color of her native Molokai — as her color scheme. "The men’s and ladies’ outfits complement each other," she said. "We also make matching blankets for the horses. We use the same material as the aloha shirts and add satin trim and lace."

Horses and court members alike are adorned with flowers. "Island flowers are incorporated as much as possible," Lankford-Faborito said.

Lei are essential adornments, and the queen is responsible for making garlands for her retinue. "We pick everything on Sunday, sort on Monday and start making the rosettes," she said, noting that it takes 25 to 40 people to assist with the lei making.

LANKFORD-FABORITO began her parade preparations in February, when she started collecting dried flowers, sewing aloha shirts and making horse blankets. She invites all helping hands and says Hawaiian civic clubs and churches are a huge help. "Two hundred florets are needed for one horse lei. All of the dried flowers can be done in advance," she said. "Someone doesn’t need to know how to put the leis together. We can show them how to make the florets."

Lankford-Faborito, a member of the Pearl Harbor and Makaha Hawaiian civic clubs, also is responsible for making her own garments as well as the attire for her attendants. Her sons and husband will ride with her, and her nieces have volunteered to follow behind as "pooper scoopers."

The women’s costumes cost about $160 each for 12 yards of satin for each pa’u skirt and three yards of velvet for the kepola, or loose-fitting top.

Hair and makeup for the queen and her court will be handled by Hanalei Ramirez, owner of Salon 808, who will begin the task around 1 a.m. Saturday. Everyone needs to be ready to mount the horses at 7:30 a.m., more than an hour before the parade begins.

"We need to put on the kepola before we begin. We can’t get it over the head with all those flowers." Once hair and makeup are finished, the lei are tied on.

"The makeup goes on heavier than normal because they are in broad daylight and in the sun. If it’s not heavy, they will look like a ghost," Ramirez said. "The hair is also more exaggerated, much bigger. We want the presentation that she is high on the horse."

As an Aloha Festivals judge, Ramirez isn’t allowed to help the pa’u princesses get ready for the parade, but he can assist the queen.

"She is not a part of the competition this year, but she will still be judged by everyone," he said. "I promised her that when she became queen, I would make her leis." Ramirez also created Lankford-Faborito’s shell crown, which also is adorned with flowers.

"She (Lankford-Faborito) is always there to assist people. She shares her knowledge … and is always willing to give in order to perpetuate the culture," he said.

Lankford-Faborito wants parade-goers to be as mesmerized by the spectacle of pa’u riders as she was as a young girl. "I try to ride close to the kupuna since they have to sit out there for a couple of hours. And, I want the kids to feel the breath of the horse," she said. "People really appreciate that personal attention."