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Liloa's Kāʻei

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17: 161:) covered with a broad red center stripe running its entire length, occasionally crossed by bands of yellow featherwork. The edges appear to be primarily mamo, with some sections in ʻeʻe (the yellow feathers of the ʻōʻō). A row of human teeth hangs from the lower edge of a horizontal band of ʻeʻe. At the bottom edge a section is decorated with alternating rows of human teeth and rosettes or clusters of small fish teeth. This section appears to be bordered with mamo feathers. Probably the sections were added at later and separate dates, the human teeth being those of people whose 170:, it is forbidden to borrow someone else's instruments or costumes. So, to wear such a personal garment is to claim a direct link to the mana and fertility of the owner. In other words, to claim descent, either genealogical or spiritual. As mana could be dissipated and lost through careless use and dispersal, such a powerful garment would require great solicitude in its use and display. 165:
was wanted to increase that of the kāʻei. One reason for the obscurity of the kāʻei could be that they were so sacred. The few kāʻei mentioned in legend were closely guarded to prevent them being viewed by the wrong people. For the unentitled to see, let alone touch, a kāʻei was death. Possibly one
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were able to date feathers that had previously fallen out of this kāʻei but were being kept for conservation. The study carbon-dated the feathers from the kāʻei to a date range of 1406 to 1450 A.D.
79:, born to a lower ranking mother. The sash could have been the same one that Liloa had given to ʻUmi's mother for the future time when they would reunite, this story is similar to that of 166:
reason for the rarity and exceptional sacredness of the kāʻei is this unusually great mana. Even today, often items of personal use are considered to be kapu to their owner. In many
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This kāʻei is believed to have been made for Liloa, the high chief of the island of Hawaiʻi. He reigned from about 1455 to 1485. His successor was his eldest son
16: 138:
making this one of the oldest family heirlooms in Hawaiian history in existence. The validity of its age was proven in 2007 when researchers from the
263: 83:. Hākau was a despotic ruler and in 1490 was overthrown by ʻUmi. Then, for three generations, there is no mention of the kāʻei. 227: 54: 189: 273: 157:) is extremely delicate. Based on examination of photographs reproduced in books, the kāʻei appears to be a base of 150: 215: 204: 94:, the highest ranking chiefess of Hawaiʻi, was in possession of the kāʻei. She ceremonially dressed her grandsons, 258: 162: 135: 106:(sacredness). Again, the kāʻei falls into obscurity, but records indicate that the kāʻei was handed down from 103: 268: 158: 107: 139: 127: 87: 72: 231: 193: 123: 95: 46: 154: 111: 252: 119: 99: 65: 38: 131: 115: 146: 91: 76: 58: 186: 167: 86:
In the mid to late 17th century, Liloa's great-great-great-granddaughter
80: 122:. After Lunalilo's death, it was in the possession Lunalilo's father, 50: 42: 15: 102:, in it – signifying that they were of the highest chiefly 228:"culture, arts, religion, lifestyle, hula of Hawaii" 8: 145:This amazing 14-foot (4.3 m) piece of 126:. After Kanaina's death, it was claimed by 75:, but the kāʻei passed to his second son, 179: 7: 14: 130:. He bequeathed it to his sister 216:Hawaii Alive: Kā‘ei kapu o Līloa 205:Hawaii Alive | Realms: Wao Lani 64:It is in the collection of the 55:Statue of Kamehameha the Great 1: 264:History of Oceanian clothing 134:, who later gave it to the 290: 35:(the sacred sash of Līloa) 136:Bernice P. Bishop Museum 61:, displayed the kāʻei. 57:, commissioned by King 21: 19: 153:feathers (with some 108:Kamehameha the Great 274:15th-century works 192:2008-08-27 at the 140:University of Kent 32:Kāʻei Kapu o Liloa 22: 281: 259:Hawaiian regalia 243: 242: 240: 239: 230:. Archived from 224: 218: 213: 207: 202: 196: 184: 88:Keakealaniwahine 289: 288: 284: 283: 282: 280: 279: 278: 249: 248: 247: 246: 237: 235: 226: 225: 221: 214: 210: 203: 199: 194:Wayback Machine 187:King Kamehameha 185: 181: 176: 124:Charles Kanaina 96:Kalaninuiamamao 12: 11: 5: 287: 285: 277: 276: 271: 266: 261: 251: 250: 245: 244: 219: 208: 197: 178: 177: 175: 172: 112:Kamehameha III 90:, daughter of 45:, king of the 39:feathered sash 37:is the sacred 28:(Liloa's Sash) 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 286: 275: 272: 270: 267: 265: 262: 260: 257: 256: 254: 234:on 2013-01-27 233: 229: 223: 220: 217: 212: 209: 206: 201: 198: 195: 191: 188: 183: 180: 173: 171: 169: 164: 160: 156: 152: 148: 143: 141: 137: 133: 132:Liliʻuokalani 129: 128:King Kalākaua 125: 121: 120:King Lunalilo 117: 113: 109: 105: 101: 97: 93: 89: 84: 82: 78: 74: 69: 68:in Honolulu. 67: 66:Bishop Museum 62: 60: 56: 52: 48: 44: 40: 36: 33: 29: 26: 25:Līloa's Kāʻei 20:Līloa's Kāʻei 18: 236:. Retrieved 232:the original 222: 211: 200: 182: 144: 116:Queen Kalama 85: 77:ʻUmi-a-Līloa 70: 63: 34: 31: 27: 24: 23: 269:Featherwork 92:Keakamāhana 253:Categories 238:2008-05-04 174:References 168:hālau hula 100:Keʻeaumoku 47:Big Island 190:Archived 59:Kalākaua 81:Theseus 53:. The 51:Hawaiʻi 147:ʻiʻiwi 159:olonā 118:, to 114:, to 110:, to 73:Hākau 43:Līloa 163:mana 155:mamo 151:ʻōʻō 149:and 104:kapu 98:and 49:of 41:of 30:or 255:: 241:.

Index


feathered sash
Līloa
Big Island
Hawaiʻi
Statue of Kamehameha the Great
Kalākaua
Bishop Museum
Hākau
ʻUmi-a-Līloa
Theseus
Keakealaniwahine
Keakamāhana
Kalaninuiamamao
Keʻeaumoku
kapu
Kamehameha the Great
Kamehameha III
Queen Kalama
King Lunalilo
Charles Kanaina
King Kalākaua
Liliʻuokalani
Bernice P. Bishop Museum
University of Kent
ʻiʻiwi
ʻōʻō
mamo
olonā
mana

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