'Ahu 'ula, Feathered cape
Feathers of moa, 'ō'ō, and 'i'iwi on olonā fiber netting
James T. Hooper Collection, 1977
'Ahu 'ula, Hawaiian feathered capes, are adornments worn only by those of a chiefly rank. The use of small upland bird feathers, like the brilliant red of the 'i'iwi, and yellow of the 'ō'ō and mamo, often indicate a high rank within the chiefly culture of Hawai'i. Conversely, the use of feathers from the more common lowland and sea birds are often associated with lower-ranking chiefs.
This particular 'ahu 'ula exemplifies the use lowland bird feathers.
This feathered cape is made primarily of brown and black iridescent chicken feathers, with hints of the more rare red and yellow feathers along the neckline. Though created of less refined materials, this 'ahu 'ula has the distinction of being perhaps the oldest feathered cape in the Museum's collection, as it was taken to England from Hawai'i on Captain Cook's voyage to the Hawaiian Islands between 1778–1779. As such, the Museum's colloquial name for this 'ahu 'ula is the "Cook Cape."
Bishop Museum purchased the Cook Cape in 1977 from the James T. Hooper Collection in England. Hooper, a prolific collector of Pacific ethnographic materials, passed in 1971. Shortly thereafter, his collection was auctioned by Christie's London.