More on estate sale of Emma Aima Nawahi, 1936.

Valued Relics Of Hawaiian Royalty Offered At Auction

Days of old Hawaii were brought to life yesterday morning when historical pieces of rare Hawaiian furniture, clothing, jewelry and ornaments belonging to the late Joseph K. Nawahi and the late Mrs. Emma A. Nawahi of Hilo were displayed and sold at auction at 1633 Nuuanu street. Valuable koa furniture, ancient leis made of feathers of extinct Island birds, tapas belonging to royalty and exquisite inlaid koa calabashes and cabinet articles were among the numerous varieties under the hammer. Continue reading

Advertisement

Passing of J. K. Mokumaia covered in D.C. paper, 1929.

“TWO-GUN” MOKUMAIA, HAWAIIAN GUARD, DEAD

Toured U. S. and Europe as Cowboy and Crack Shot With Buffalo Bill’s Show.

“Two-Gun” Mokumaia, a picturesque character of Honolulu, is dead. He was widely known in Hawaii, and during the last few years, as foreman of the Capitol grounds, he made friends with hundreds of tourist visitors. In his youth Mokumaia, says the San Francisco Chronicle, was a paniolo (cowboy) and became so proficient as a horseman, roper and crack shot that he joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, touring the United States and Europe as a Hawaiian cowboy. Continue reading

Kalaniopuu’s ahuula and mahiole, the latests, 2020.

Feather Cloak and Helmet Gifted to Captain Cook to Return Permanently to Hawaiʻi

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi—An ʻahu ʻula (feather cloak) and mahiole (feather helmet) gifted to Captain Cook in 1779 are being permanently returned to Hawaiʻi by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

These cherished items were gifts from Hawaiian Chief Kalaniʻōpuʻu to Captain James Cook and have been in Te Papa’s collection since being gifted to the museum in 1912.

Continue reading →

106988432_10158200394352110_3375241203761578465_o

Traditional mele and oli demonstrated, 1936.

ANCIENT ISLE MUSIC PLAYED

By MARY SALISBURY
(Special Star-Bulletin Correspondence)

LIHUE, Kauai, July 30.—A delightful hour of ancient Hawaiian chanting and use of the oldest musical instruments of the islands was presented by Fred Malulani Beckley Kahea and Timothy Makalei Montgomery on Monday evening at the parish house.

Both Mr. Kahea and Mr.Montgomery are from Honolulu and the program was sponsored by the Kauai Historical society and the Kauai Chamber of Commerce. Continue reading

Lei Day 50 years ago, 1968.

It all started in 1928

Wear your aloha shirts, muumuus, leis tomorrow

As has been the custom since Grace Tower Warren and Don Blanding began the observance of Lei Day in 1928, aloha shirts, muumuus and leis will be the garb of the day tomorrow.

Throughout the Islands each year on May Day, schools and other institutions present their May programs and lei contests.

The Oahu Lei Contest, sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation, will be judged tomorrow and the leis will be on display at the Waikiki Shell from 1 to 9 p.m.

Prizes totaling $650 will be awarded to  lei makers in different categories.

Darlene Bakke, this year’s lei queen, will reign over the festivities including music, hula dancing and pageantry, to be held at the Shell.

A demonstration of kahili making—kahilis were the standard of royalty in Old Hawaii—will be given from 9 to 11 a.m. on the Shell lawn. Continue reading

At Waimanalo, Mololani, and Mokumanu are your mats of feathers, 1886.

HE INOA NU’A HULU NO KA MOIWAHINE KAPIOLANI.

(Hakuia e Mrs. A. L. K.)

A i Waimanalo ko Nua Hulu,
I hakuia mai e Mololani,
Noho o Kalani hano i ka nani,
I ka lawe hoolai a ka mokuahi,
Hoohihi ka manao e ike aku,
E kilohi i ka nani o ka Mokumanu,
O ka pohai a ka manu i ka lewa,
Kikahakaha lua i ka ilikai,
Welo haaheo ko Hae Kalaunu,
Ua ike mai o Malei ke kupua,
Oia kai kapu la ua noa,
Ua hehiku aku nei o Kalani,
Nau i olali hoohie aku,
Oia mau ale hanupanupa,
Ka iniki welawela a ke ehukai,
Lamalama ua i ka nani alii,
Liilii na hana a ke Telefone,
Haihai olelo me ka huapala,
Kulia ka anuu la e o mai,
Ka wahine nona ka Lei Hooheno. Continue reading

New kahili made by Keahi Luahine, 1920.

CEREMONY MARKS TRANSFER OF FINE PAGEANT KAHILIS

Fourteen magnificent kahilis, completed after three months of painstaking toil by a Hawaiian, Keahi Luahine, of Kakaako, especially for the great Missionary Centennial Pageant of Tuesday next, were last evening, at 7 o’clock, ceremoniously conveyed from Kakaako to Bishop Hall, Punahou.

The ceremonies attending the transfer were such as would have been held in honor of such royal symbols in the past. They are replicas of kahilis now in the Bishop museum. Continue reading

Might these be the feathers the Hawaiians were wearing in Salt Lake City? 1898.

CORSETS, HATS AND JEWELRY.

Some Late Fashion Hints—Philadelphia Physician Shows Women How to Lace.

A NEW PARIS COAT.

IBIS FEATHERS.

The promises of May are already being made, and tender hearts who will not have the plumage or bodies of dead songsters in their hats can this spring trim the hats with lovely ibis feathers that cost no avian lives, and are fair to look upon. Of course the purple ibis feathers from Egypt are to be classed among the costly beauties of millinery, but we have our own American scarlet ibis to borrow tail feathers from and fix in our new wide-brimmed hats.

This delicate plumage is, however, dyed many handsome colors, and, beside this and ostrich feathers, to be safely adopted by any Audubonite, we are going to have lovely hats later on trimmed so gracefully and economically with nothing but masses of shot taffeta silk cut on the bias and every edge closely pinked. This piece silk will assume, in fact, has already largely taken the place of ribbon bows for the trimming of simpler hats. Nothing can be more alluringly daring than a sapphire blue felt, with just a yard of cerise taffeta twisted about the crown, perky bows and ends starting up in every direction. Here and there the taffeta was caught down with cheap pins set with mock sapphires and rhinestones.

Nobody yet dares to assume which ways hats are going to tilt for spring wearing, but just in this midseason a tendency is making toward piling everything in front. Thake a look, for instance, at the crowning glory on the head of the model in the braided coat. It is typical of the daring frontage now used. Here the hat brim is of modes proportions; it is the mounting black and white ostrich tips that lend the stately effect. Another hat worth mentioning boasted a brim four and one-half inches wide, and this was turned directly off the face, bent into three perpendicular flutes, and over the edge of the brim, finished by puffings of black chiffon, nodded the heavy heads of half a dozen prize tall feathers.

(Salt Lake Hearld, 1/16/1898, p. 15)

SaltLakeHerald_1_16_1898_15.png

(The Salt Lake Herald, Number 49, Page 15. January 16, 1898.