From the Bishop Museum's Website (at this link),
Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family. The Museum was established to house the extensive collection of Hawaiian artifacts and royal family heirlooms of the Princess, and has expanded to include millions of artifacts, documents and photographs about Hawai‘i and other Pacific island cultures.
Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family. The Museum was established to house the extensive collection of Hawaiian artifacts and royal family heirlooms of the Princess, and has expanded to include millions of artifacts, documents and photographs about Hawai‘i and other Pacific island cultures.
Above are adornments worn by ali'i (chiefs) ...
... including the lei niho palaoa - whale tooth necklace with human hair. Hawaiians believe hair possesses their mana (essence) which they gave to their ali'i.
Above are 'ahu'ula - feather capes - worn by the ali'i. From Hawaii Alive (at this link),
Hawaiian feather capes and cloaks were constructed by tying bundles of small feathers, usually 6-10 per bundle, to a foundation of netting .... Tens of thousands of feather bundles were connected, creating a visually striking garment. These capes and cloaks were important signifiers of rank, and as noble regalia, they were to be worn only by the ali‘i nui. Red, as a traditional color of royalty in Polynesia, was a dominant color. Yellow, made valuable by its scarcity, was also oft used.
The ali'i were preceeded by the kalihi - feathered standards akin to coats of arms.
The feathers make the kalihi fragile and precious.
The Bishop Museum also features a science wing to highlight Hawaii's unique eco system. Above is a display of sand - black, green, red, beige, and white.
Three elements influence the eco system, including pokahu (stone) ...
... wai (water) ...
... and makani (wind). Do you have a favorite musuem? One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash. This giveaway is open to all readers. Comments are open through Saturday, March 30, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, March 31, on SOS Aloha.
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
The museum also featured a special exhibition, TRADITION AND TRANSITIONS: STORIES OF HAWAI'I IMMIGRANTS. Below is the double geta (footwear) for racing by Japanese immigrants.
