46 



BRIG HAM ON HAWAIIAN FEATHER WORK. 



p. 32, has a most amiable and unwarlike expression, wholly out of place in modern wars 

 however suitable for the more merciful combats of ancient Hawaiian warriors. A little 

 restoring by simple pressure on the interior of the wickerwork frame behind the cheek 

 and on the bridge of the nose would greatly improve the appearance of this Kukaili- 

 moku. The plumage is red with yellow cresting, eyebrows and lips. The lower half 

 of the neck has the appearance of a later addition, and 

 is nearly bare of feathers. This is the twelfth of these 

 feathered war-gods known to exist in museums, and 

 nearly all of these will be found figured in the Memoirs 

 of this Museum. 



That it was not an exclusive fashion for the god 

 Kukailimoku to be to some extent decorated with feath- 

 ers we learn from that most trustworthy and compre- 

 hensive account of ancient Hawaiian matters of interest, 

 Ellis's Tour of Hawaii. The account he gives (on page 

 73 of the fourth English edition) is as follows: 



"One of the ancient gods of Maui, prior to its 

 subjugation by Tamehameha, they said [Keopuolani, 

 Hoapili and other chiefs], was Keoroewa [Keoloewa]. 

 The body of the image was of wood, and was arrayed 

 in garments of native kapa. The head and neck were 

 formed of a kind of fine basket or wicker work, covered 

 over with red feathers, so curiously wrought in as to 

 resemble the skin of a beautiful bird. A native helmet 

 was placed on the idol's head, from the crown of which 

 long tresses of human hair hung down over its should- 

 ers. Its mouth, like the greater number of the Hawaiian 

 idols, was large and distended." 



In Captain Cook's Journal, page 82, in describ- 

 ing a visit to a Tahitian Morae he writes: "The first thing we met with worthy of note 

 was at one of their Mories^ where lay the scull bones of 26 Hogs and 6 Dogs. These 

 all lay near to and under one of their Altars. These Animals must have been offered 

 as a Sacrifice to their Gods either at once or at different times but on what account we 

 could not learn. The next day we met with an Effigy or Figure of a Man made of 

 Basket work and covered with white and Black feathers placed in such order as to rep- 

 resent the Colour of their Hair and Skins when Tattow'd or painted. It was 7^ feet 

 high and the whole made in due proportion; on its head were 4 Nobs not unlike the 

 stumps of Large Horns — 3 stood in front and one behind. We were not able to learn 

 what use they made of this Monster; it did not at all appear to us that they paid it the 



FIG. 42. KUKAILIMOKU IN THE 

 DOMINION MUSEUM. 



