Page 284 - The Secret Museum

Hawai’ian honeycreeper, the yellow feathers from the honeyeater. The bird from

which the black feathers came hasn’t been identified yet.

In the eighteenth century, feathers in Hawai’i were like gold in Europe, or
turquoise in Mexico. Birds were believed to be spiritual messengers, bridging the
gap between the gods and mankind. So when a Hawai’ian chief wore a piece like this
(known as mahiole in Hawai’ian), he was connected more closely to the gods, and
believed he could communicate more clearly with them. A helmet like this was worn
for sacred ceremonies, as well as in times of danger, like going into battle, or in
times of change. It was both a piece of art and a display of prestige, and worn only by

Hawai’ian royalty.

The helmet and the feather robe must have made a huge impression on the locals
of Boston as the Prince of Hawai’i strode down the streets of their city. The high
crest of the helmet would have stood out, above the heads of the others in the parade.
It’s strange to think that more people saw it that day than have ever seen it since, but
that is the best way; if it had been exhibited for all those years, it would not be in the
perfect condition it is now. I saw a few others in storage that looked worn, and I
could see the basket beneath the feathers clearly.

Offering a helmet like this was a huge step for a Hawai’ian royal. Interestingly, 16

helmets were given to another man, Captain James Cook (1728–79) when he first
landed in Hawai’i just over a decade earlier. His arrival coincided with a festival
called Makahiki dedicated to the god of peace, Lono. Cook was welcomed and given
gifts, and spent a peaceful time on the island.

Then he set sail to continue his journey. He was driven back to Hawai’i by a
storm. This time, he arrived during a ceremony of war. The locals stole one of his
boats and he decided to take a chief hostage until the boat was returned. His idea
backfired and Cook ended up dead; parts of his body were eaten.

One of the helmets presented in friendship by those who murdered him is now on
display in the British Museum. Another, which the Hawai’ian chief placed on Cook’s

head, is in the National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa.

Today, this helmet, the first feathered object like it to come to America, is shown
only to those who ask to see it. Most of the requests come from Hawai’ian people,
particularly native Hawai’ians who want to learn how to do featherwork. They come
to see this beautiful example of traditional work, still in mint condition.

It is significant that more helmets like this one exist outside of Hawai’i than at
home, where they were created. For some Hawai’ians, their featherwork treasures in
museums around the world are a potent symbol of all the Hawai’ians lost through
their interaction with Europeans from Cook onwards – the final consequence of

which was annexation by the United States. They have lost their nation, their chiefs,
their way of interacting with the universe. However, those who seek independence
from the United States see the feathered helmet and other feathered objects like it as