Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 11, 1 November 2004 — Hawaiian treasures featured in special Smithsonian exhibit [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian treasures featured in special Smithsonian exhibit

Nā Mea Makamae exhibit showcases cultural gems ranging from the personal effects of high ali'i to the oldest known Hawaiian eanoe in existence

By Manu Boyd In conjunction with the auspicious opening of the National Museum of the American Indian in September, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) unveiled its long-planned exhibition of indigenous Hawaiian cultural gems titled "Hawaiian Treasures: Nā Mea Makamae o Hawai'i." The exhibition was organized by Dr. Adrienne Kaeppler of the NMNH's Department of Anthropology with guidance from members of

Hawaiian Royal Societies, who were also in attendance at the September opening. Among the rare pieces on view in the special six-month exhibition is a fishing eanoe believed to be the oldest Hawaiian eanoe in the world, donated by Queen Kapi'olani more than 115 years ago. In 1887, Kapi'olani, representing her husband, King Kalākaua and attended by her sister-in-law, Princess Lili'uokalani, traveled to London to the jubilee celebration of Queen Victoria. En route continued on following page "i D"~r : 1 — ■

Photo bv Manu Bovd

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back to Honolulu, Kapi'olani visited the Smithsonian, and, later, made arrangements for the important donation. It is believed that even then the eanoe was quite old. Today, more than a century later and after extensive conservation, the wa'a is testament to the engineering skill of Hawaiians. The canoe's sail is also a part of the NMHH collection, but its fibrous make-up is too fragile for puhlie display. Among other eye-catching items is a multi-layered kapa moe, a bed covering made of kapa (bark cloth) intricately patterned using 'ohe kāpala stamps. Such chiefly regalia as 'ahu'ula and kāhili add formality to the exhibit, including a feather eloak associated with High Chief Kekuaokalani, whose army was defeated by that of his cousin Liholiho - Kamehameha II - at the fierce Battle of Kuamo'o in 1820. The battle formed the decisive conclusion in Liholiho's campaign to overturn the ancestral kapū religion. Lei of pūpū Ni'ihau highlight the skills of Ni'ihau's unique population over the generations in the art of shell lei making, and finely woven hats of lauhala and other fibers add elegance to the exhibit. Royal wooden bowls donated in 1947 by Princess Abigail Wahīika'ahu'ula Campbell Kawānanakoa illustrate the generosity of our ali'i, whose personal items are in museum collections around the world. Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., at 10th Street and Constitution Ave. NW, the museum is open daily from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., except Christmas. Admission is free to the puhlie. "Hawaiian Treasures: Nā Mea Makamae o Hawai'i" ean be found in the NMNH's Hall 8 through March 27, 2005. For information, eall 202-633-1000. ■