For the first time in over 237 years, a feathered cloak and helmet that Kalani‘ōpu‘u gave to Capt. James Cook in 1779 will return to Hawaii and be on display at the Bishop Museum, about 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas.
After Capt. Cook’s death, the cloak and helmet returned to England with Cook’s ship and crew and passed through the hands of various museum owners and collectors. Both historical pieces have resided at The National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa for the last 100 years.
The red feathers are from the ‘i‘iwi bird and yellow feathers from the mamo bird as well as two ‘ō‘ō birds from Maui and Hawai‘i Island. The cloak (‘ahu ‘ula) is estimated to include about half a million feathers from about 20,000 birds.
The museum is also debuting an interactive companion exhibit, Lele O Nā Manu: Hawaiian Forest Birds, which explores the rich and diverse natural history of native Hawaiian forest birds, their importance in traditional Hawaiian culture, their direct connection to the health of native forests, and the critical need for conservation.
For directions, museum hours, and more information about all of the current exhibits, visit http://www.bishopmuseum.org.
