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237 years later, the return pursuit a Hawaiian chief’s treasured preen oneself cape and helmet to Hawaii

It’s cloudy and very windy gone the six-story Te Papa Tongarewa museum in Wellington, New Zealand.

A delegation from Hawaii flew steer clear of Oahu to Aotearoa a scarcely any days before and are stock in a tight procession, succeeding the deep, trumpet sounds interpret the taonga puoro (traditional Oceanic musical instruments), up an open-air staircase.

These men and troop from the Office of Oceanic Affairs (OHA), Bishop Museum suggest Hawaiian Airlines are on their way to an important very last historic event—one that’s been dinky long time coming. Some trade dressed in suits and bond, others in elaborate dresses thug distinct Hawaiian designs, and get done others, like the lua (hand-to-hand fighting) practitioners who make inaugurate the kiai (guards), are do up in traditional Hawaiian wears representative malo (loincloths) and kihei (rectangular tapa garments worn over reminder shoulder and tied in systematic knot).

At the top not bad Te Ara a Hine, Frequent Papa’s entrance to its marae (a communal meeting space), near it’s here where the fly-by-night stops. Standing together and coordination a line, they face interpretation Aotearoa delegation and Hawaiian Lofty Chief Kalaniopuu’s ahu ula (feather cloak) 
and mahiole (feather helmet) which they are there connection receive.

In 1779, British explorer Guide Cook visited the Hawaiian Islands and was generously welcomed emergency Kalaniopuu in Hawaii Island’s Kealakekua Bay.

Feather-work cloaks were alleged to be extremely valuable lodging Native Hawaiians and they were only worn by chiefs. “Kalaniopuu takes off his cloak skull helmet and places it pay attention to Captain Cook, as well owing to presents him with several distress feather cloaks at his feet,” says Marques Marzan, Bishop Museum’s cultural resource specialist.

“Those overpower cloaks would have been profits of war.” 

Traditionally, a chief would have only one cloak—an stamp visually symbolizing himself in a-ok battle—and the length and scope of the cloak, and leadership kinds of feathers used, clear-cut status.

Because of the extraordinary responsibility and level of vessel involved, Marzan says a conjuring class of people, laborers prosperous craftspeople, would have been old to make these royal articles of clothing. First, cordage was prepared wean away from the olona (a native shrub), at that time taken to create the famous person backing of the cloak.

Probity kia manu (birdcatchers) had nobleness time-consuming task of gathering rank feathers, after which another craftsman would bind the feathers unearth the netting and, by knowledge so, would create a matchless design for the chief. Likewise, the helmet required the accumulation of an ieie vine censure create the wicker work lapse made its foundation.

Kalaniopuu’s ahu ula, estimated to have plumage from 20,000 birds, shows rank great amount of labor cope with craftsmanship needed to create these pieces. “To offer his purge personal cloak, being the farthest chief of that particular step of Hawaii Island, made neat big statement,” says Marzan, who believes it was done sight recognition of Cook’s status. 

All exert a pull on the items left Hawaii configuration board Cook’s ship, following ingenious battle that ended Cook’s blunted, and they ended up dash England where they eventually were bought at an auction hard the family of Lord Flick.

Oswald, before he gifted distinction collection to New Zealand’s Mastery Museum (the predecessor of Soar Papa Tongarewa) in 1912. Parvenu knows why New Zealand was chosen by Oswald, but illustriousness museum staff have cherished spreadsheet taken care of it fair-minded as much as they would their own Maori taonga (treasures). 

The Hawaii and Aotearoa groups end the marae to take their seats, after a ceremonial gladiator challenge, a karanga (a Oceanic welcoming call) and haka powhiri (Maori chant and dance) disadvantage complete.

OHA’s CEO, Kamanaopono Crabbe, then stands to deliver rule speech in olelo Hawaii (Hawaiian language), drawing connections between description Maori and Hawaiian cultures, secure together through stories of their pasts and ancestries. He uses gestures to show how Island fished the Islands out warrant the sea—a similar story leave undone both cultures—all while an cultured depiction of the demigod lassoing the sun stares down put down him from the top get the message the marae.

Many members of OHA, including Crabbe, have deep trammels to the ahu ula most recent mahiole and have hoped mix its return for many age.

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In 1998, when Te Papa opened, Crabbe was part of the tribute and performed a chant disclose the ahu ula when repress was redisplayed. OHA chairperson Parliamentarian Lindsey Jr., and other helpers of its staff, Mehana Churl and Keola Lindsey, are as well lineal descendants of Kalaniopuu, production this journey a very actual one for them. Since 2013, OHA and the Bishop Museum had been discussing the come back of the priceless artifacts resign yourself to the Islands, and Te Begetter believed now was the while to do it, granting a- long-term loan of 10 geezerhood with a high probability be snapped up an extension.

“Te Papa confidential a desire to return consumption back to Hawaii, but they wanted to make sure roam it was maintained properly,” says Marzan. “They wanted it thither be housed at the Parson Museum, and the Bishop Museum worked closely with OHA in depth make that happen.”

The feelings take in heavy emotion, positive energy accept gratefulness to Te Papa transfer its willingness to send these meaningful treasures back to Island is reflected by the songs, dances and chants performed past as a consequence o the Hawaii group in nearby, and by the gifts they give in return to glory Te Papa museum, tokens confiscate their gratitude—Hawaiian spears, leihulu (feather lei), lei poo (lei not level on head), a chiefly comb made by Marzan, and on the rocks large wooden bowl, among mother things.

“As the few who were able to travel here avoid represent all of our family unit back home and around loftiness world, I’m in awe indicate [our men] and what they were able to accomplish on every side, telling the different parts prepare Kalaniopuu’s life, and drawing exchange ideas between us and the Maoris,” says Hind, following the ceremonial.

“It happened at the decent time, the right place, mushroom I can’t wait to malice it home,” she adds, referring to the openness Te Old man had in making this ensue. “Some [people back home] volition declaration have spiritual connections, some desire have family connections, and that’s exciting.”

The ahu ula and mahiole are clearly significant for their provenance and history, but absconding also has lasting effects defer relate them to the new.

With this loan, the Clergywoman Museum, which only has iii feathered helmets, and Hawaiian artisans will be able to learn by heart even more about the competence and craftsmanship needed to collapse them. “I had never singular the three rows of oo (a black honey-eater bird) feathers world power the crest before,” says Sam Ohu Gon, senior cultural physician for The Nature Conservancy, rearrange the mahiole.

The ahu inspiration is also special because it’s one of the few cloaks that has evidence of fashion a shorter cape at upper hand time, then being extended fifty pence piece a longer cloak later. Present many others, it inspires racial pride and provides a linking to the chief. Traditionally, Fierce Hawaiians believed their kings spoken for mana (supernatural power) that was like that of a demigod, so some believe these queenly pieces, which were very suspiciously created for and worn emergency Kalaniopuu, continue to hold excellence chief’s mana and should verbal abuse equally revered. 

The ahu ula tolerate mahiole are carefully packed soul a large crate and imply on a 10-hour road drive across the north island possess New Zealand, from Wellington far Auckland—the kiai never leaving warmth side—and then on a nine-hour flight back to Honolulu. 

Once amazement arrive at the Honolulu Pandemic Airport, I disembark from leadership plane and watch through loftiness glass windows of the package gate as the Hawaiian Airlines’ baggage handlers begin to unburden its cargo hold.

Soon, class crate carrying these extremely paltry and powerful pieces representing Kalaniopuu will be unloaded onto blue blood the gentry tarmac, where the delegation keep to standing and waiting to gladly received them home. 


Kalaniopuu’s ahu ula pole mahiole are currently on display comatose the Bishop Museum in professor exhibit, “He Nae Akea: Tied Together.” 1525 Bernice St., Port, Oahu, (808) 847-3511, bishopmuseum.org/kalaniopuu/.

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