cape
- Museum number
- Oc,HAW.142
- Description
-
Cape (possibly a section of an ‘ahu’ula) made of red 'i'iwi feathers and yellow mamo and ʻōʻō feathers attached in bundles to an olonā fibre nae (net). The cape is curved but mostly flat at the bottom edge and has a wide, almost straight, neckline.
The red 'i'iwi feathers make up the main colour of the cape. The yellow feathers are arranged into a small hoaka (crescent) at the centre top of the cape. Two curved niho (triangles) of yellow sit at the collar and narrow towards the centre of the cape where they connect. Some of the yellow feathers have been trimmed to give a crisp edge between the yellow and red sections. Alternating bundles of red and yellow feathers are arranged along the neckline. The colour of the feathers varies slightly across the cape; a square section on the centre left of the cape may have faded, possibly due to light exposure. The colour and shape of the yellow feathers varies across the cape, with some sections containing long fluffy and pale coloured feathers and other sections more vibrant and less fluffy feathers.
The feathers are attached to a very fine olonā nae in bundles. The bottom edge of the nae has possibly been cut short and some remnants of feather bundles are visible along the edge. A plaited olonā fibre cord runs along the neckline and collars. The cords extend beyond the neckline, creating ties for fastening the cape. The plaited olonā cords also extend below the collar, where they are folded back on themselves to create loops.
- Production date
- 18thC(mid)-19thC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 37.50 centimetres
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Width: 107 centimetres
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Depth: 0.50 centimetres
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition notes
- Acquisition details unknown. In the collections of the British Museum pre 1900.
Description in bound volume of registration slips of the Hawaiian collection, written by James Edge Partington(?) in the 19th century:
“Hawaii
Feather cape of olona netting on which are sewn red & yellow feathers. The ground is red – iiwi, containing in its top centre a small yellow crescent: across the ends are two long yellow triangles, points meeting in centre. At each upper corner a tag of thick plaited olona cord; at each lower corner a piece of similar cord terminating in a loop.
L. 41”
HAW 142 B.M”
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Oc,HAW.142
- Additional IDs
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CDMS number: Oc????D6.142 (old CDMS no.)
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Miscellaneous number: Brigham 26 (Catalogue number)
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Miscellaneous number: Oc1982,Q.749