Lei niho palaova", neck ornament of braided human hair and hook of whale's tooth; a badge of rank.
Donor:
Phoebe Apperson Hearst
Collection place:
Hawaiian Islands
Verbatim coll. place:
Hawaii
Culture or time period:
Hawaiian
Collector:
Phoebe Apperson Hearst
Collection date:
unknown
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Necklaces
Function:
2.2 Personal Adornments and Accoutrements
Accession date:
1908
Context of use:
A badge of rank, worn around neck.
Department:
Oceania
Comment:
Description: [niho added to object name]: "Lei niho palaoa" "LEI-"necklace", NIHO-"tooth", PALAOA-"ivory" The ivory "hooks" at Bishop Museum range from 1.1" to 6.6" (fide Barbara (Kanani) Burns) Remarks: "Exhibited 1978 Settlement of Polynesia" Hiroa, Te Rangi (Peter Buck) "Arts & Crafts of Hawaii", 1957, p. 535-538, Fig. 332. Blue card: "Whale's tooth and braided human hair necklace (lei niho palaoa), a characteristic Hawaiian symbol of rank. (UCLMA 11-1242)
Loans:
S1987-1988 #10: Bowers Museum (August 1987–February 16, 1988)