Overview
In battle and ceremonies, Hawaiian chiefs once wore splendid mahiole (helmets), protecting the most sacred part of the body – the head.
Mahiole were sought after by European travellers and sometimes gifted to them. In 1779, chief Kalani‘ōpu‘u presented one like this to Hawai‘i’s first European visitor, James Cook. Relations soured soon after, and Cook was killed on the islands.
Roots of the ‘ie‘ie vine form this helmet’s frame. On top is a fine netting of olonā, a shrub with extremely strong fibre. Feathers are attached by the same technique used for cloaks. The rare yellow feathers show that the helmet is for someone of particularly high rank.