honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, September 1, 2006

Precious feathers at Bishop Museum

Advertiser News Services

Bishop Museum opens an exhibit of what it calls the largest, most extensive display of Hawaiian featherwork ever shown tomorrow at the Castle Memorial Building Treasures Gallery.

Drawing from the largest collection of Hawaiian featherwork in the world, "Na Hulu Ali'i: Royal Feathers" features more than 40 pieces, including rarely seen pieces from the museum's founding collections related to the Kamehameha dynasty and other Hawaiian monarchs.

Offering a wider look into the depth of this art form and why these works had been reserved for the ali'i (noble class), the exhibit features a number of outstanding and precious pieces of Hawaiian featherwork, including:

  • Princess Nahi'ena'ena's Pa'u: this skirt features a million tiny feathers, from the brilliant red ones of the 'i'iwi and the 'apapane to the pale yellow ones of the 'o'o and mamo. It also showcases miles of fine olona cordage, spun by hand and knotted a million times into a lacy filagree.

    Thought to be the largest piece of Hawaiian featherwork known to exist, the pa'u in its original form measured 20 feet long by 2 1/2 feet wide. As featherwork was considered kapu, and normally restricted to men, this pa'u was one of the only large pieces made specifically for a female. Nahi'ena'ena, the daughter of Kamehameha I and Keopuolani, was asked to wear the pa'u in mourning when the body of Kamehameha II was brought back from England. Later, the pa'u was cut in half and made into a wide funeral pall, which was draped over the coffins at the funerals of both her brother, King Kamehameha III, and of King David Kalakaua.

  • Liloa's Sash: one of the earliest pieces of featherwork known to exist, this pre-contact item dates to the 15th century. Playing an important role in the history of Hawai'i, the sash was passed down through the Kamehameha dynasty and is the ceremonial sash depicted on the Kamehameha statue. The sash was eventually purchased and identified by Kalakaua. This 14-foot piece is extremely delicate and will only be on display for the first six weeks of the exhibit.

  • Feathered deities: two remarkable feather images thought to represent the war god Kuka'ilimoku. These Ku images were passed down to Kamehameha and represented his status and authority as he seized control of most of the main Islands. There are only 19 such images known to exist, and this will be the first time the Bishop Museum will exhibit more than one at a time. Artistically, they epitomize the high technical achievements of Hawaiian craftsmen in both featherwork and basketry. Culturally, they are almost without parallel in representing the Kamehameha era.

  • Feathered cloaks: Two stunning dark-brown-feathered cloaks from pre-contact times will also be on display, showing a different design from the often-seen traditional yellow and red capes and cloaks.

    Traditional forms of Hawaiian featherwork also will be included in the exhibit, including the Elgin Kalani'opu'u and Kintore cloaks and the capes of Princess Pauahi, Queen Emma and Kapi-'olani Nui. Along with mahiole, the iconic, feathered and crested helmets worn into battle by high chiefs, feather lei (lei hulu) and head lei (lei po'o), the exhibit will show the breadth of pieces that were made with feathers.

    The exhibit also will feature nontraditional pieces that tell of the impact of featherwork in other places, including featherwork capes made in England in the 1820s.

    Feather cloaks and capes ceased being made toward the middle of the 19th century, when bird-catching and feather-working skills largely disappeared.

    Featherwork might have died out completely if not for the work of kupuna, or Hawaiian elders. Visitors to the exhibit will learn, through multimedia presentations featuring kupuna Johanna Cluney, Marie McDonald and Mary Lou Kekuewa, about the history of, the birds used for, and the intricate process involved in the art of featherwork.