The British Museum Says Aloha

Thinking about Hawai‘i often transports one to a scenic beach, surrounded by sand and palm trees as a cool breeze comes from the Pacific Ocean, and…is that the sound of a ukulele playing?

Although the 50th state is a pleasurable vacation destination, there’s much more to the archipelago. It is also home to a rich array of cultural traditions for its indigenous population.

Native Hawaiian culture began after Polynesian seafarers settled on the island around A.D. 1000. Over time, a rich, complex culture developed between multiple chiefdoms, where objects were made from materials sourced from the surrounding tropical flora and fauna. Although isolated in the Pacific, the 1778 arrival of James Cook brought European colonialism that soon disrupted traditional Hawaiian life and led to forced labor, loss of land, and disease.

The Native-led Hawaiian Kingdom began to form in 1795 and was fully unified in 1810. However, the kingdom was overthrown by American and European businessmen in 1893 with the backing of U.S. Marines. The islands were then annexed to the United States and ultimately became an American state in 1959. Despite these immense hardships, Native Hawaiian traditions and customs have proved resilient and continue to be practiced.

The survival and pursuit of this often unknown history is the inspiration for the British Museum’s blockbuster exhibition, Hawai‘i: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans, on view until May 25. Although displayed in a British setting, the exhibition is focused on indigenous Hawaiian life and is curated from shared scholarship and collaboration with Native artists and knowledge-bearers. Showcased are 150 historic and contemporary artworks and objects from the British Museum, which holds one of the largest Hawaiian collections outside of the state, as well as loans from institutions such as the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, and the National Archives.

“This co-stewarded exhibition is a tribute to Native Hawaiian makers, past and present. At its core, it tells the story of the deep and layered relationship between Hawai‘i and the United Kingdom, reflecting on care, sovereignty, and the complexity of allyship,” explains Curator and Head of Oceania at the British Museum, Dr. Alice Christophe, in a press release for the exhibition.

The show takes place 200 years after the visit to London by the second king of Hawai‘i, Liholiho (Kamehameha II), and Queen Kamāmalu, who ventured to England to seek an alliance with the British Crown. Among their stops was a visit to the British Museum, which was the first time Native Hawaiian ali‘i (chiefs and royals) were represented. Although the couple was able to secure allyship with Britain, the 1824 trip proved to be fatal, as the duo caught measles and died before their departure from London to Hawai‘i.

When the bodies of King Liholiho and Queen Kamāmalu arrived in Hawai‘i after their fatal visit, the mourning royal family was presented with gifts by British officials accompanying the delivery of the couple. These presents from this fatal trip are now in the exhibition and include a silver teapot with an ivory handle and details showing engravings by Robert Hennell II of the name “Kaahumanu” (Ka‘ahumanu) on one side and the British arms on the other.

But not all that is exhibited is tied to tragedy. Also on view are a multitude of indigenous-made objects, such as a barkcloth textile known as a kapa, a wood sculpture in the likeness of the god Kū, and contemporary work by Hawaiian photographer Kapulani Landgraf.

Striking both fear and beauty in the eyes of viewers is the attire of the ali‘i: a brightly colored orange and yellow, crescent-shaped mahiole hulu manu feathered helmet made from local bird plumage and woven from roots of the ‘ie‘ie plant. In an almost matching orange hue are ‘ahu ‘ula feathered cloaks, also decorated with plumes plucked from local birds that are tied to a net made from olonā fiber.

“This extraordinary exhibition not only reveals the beauty and significance of Hawaiian culture,” says Director of the British Museum Nicholas Cullinan in an exhibition press release, “But also highlights the journeys of people, objects, and stories across time and oceans, showing how these connections continue to resonate and inspire today.”
Although this is a must-see show for anyone in London, the British Museum isn’t the only place to view Native Hawaiian art and antiques. The Aloha State houses numerous antique stores, including Oahu Auctions and Antique Alley, and hosts the Wiki Wiki One Day Vintage Collectibles & Hawaiiana Show, which will take place on March 22, July 19, October 4, and November 22 this year.

Hawai‘i is also a destination for history buffs, where institutions like the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and Capital Modern have collections and displays filled with Hawaiian artifacts. The state is also an active participant in the nationwide Semiquincentennial initiative and is featured in the Craft in America “West” episode of Season 17.
For more information about Hawai‘i: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans, visit the British Museum website.

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