Necklace (Lei Niho Palaoa)

Necklace (Lei Niho Palaoa)

Indigenous peoples
Object
Culture
Hawaii

The Lei Niho Palaoa is a necklace made up of braided human hair and the ivory from whales. The necklace was mostly worn by Hawaiian nobility and was used to indicate their heritage from the Gods. However due to an increasing American influence which resulted in many Native Hawaiians converting to Christianity the necklaces lost their traditional spiritual meaning. Although the necklaces still indicated elitist social status. The change in meaning of these necklaces once again highlights the declining Hawaiian culture as a result of the growing American control in the region. The necklace was even misidentified as something worn by Hawaiian sorceresses.

Unknown

Brooklyn Museum

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/121093

Early 19th century

Robert Saunders

Brooklyn Museum
copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.

N/A

Material object - necklace

19th century Hawaii