Hawaiian royals' visit to London marked by museum

"Hawai'i: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans is a "dazzling celebration of the rich artistry of Hawaiian makers, past present and future", according to the museum. The exhibition, which opens in January, will commemorate more than 200 years since the visit of Hawaiian King Liholiho and Queen Kamamalu to London in 1824 when the royal delegation were seeking an alliance and protection from the Crown. This journey to the capital included a visit to the British Museum the first record of Native Hawaiian royals at the museum."

"The exhibition will feature around 150 objects and artworks including many never seen in the UK. Among the highlights is an ahu ula, a feathered cloak sent in 1810 by the first king of unified Hawaii, Kamehameha I, to King George III. Lent by King Charles III from the Royal Collection, the cloak will be on display for the first time in over 100 years, alongside the Hawaiian king's original letter requesting support and protection from the British Crown."

"Visitors to the museum will be greeted on the stairs of the Great Court by a nine-foot (2.7m) image of the god Ku, the god of warfare and governance, dressed with a contemporary loincloth and standing atop a pole rediscovered inside a historical plinth. A finely carved drum accompanied by an ancient chant recounting early Polynesian migrations to Hawaii will feature alongside a bowl with figure, recently returned from loan to Hawaii's Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum,"

Hawai'i: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans opens at the British Museum in January to mark more than 200 years since King Liholiho and Queen Kamamalu's 1824 London visit. The exhibition presents about 150 objects and artworks, many never before seen in the UK. Highlights include an ahu ula feathered cloak sent by Kamehameha I in 1810, lent by King Charles III, shown with the Hawaiian king's original letter requesting British protection. A nine-foot image of the god Ku, a finely carved drum with an accompanying ancient chant, and a bowl returned from loan to Hawaii's Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum illustrate cultural exchange. The Anglo-Franco 1843 proclamation emphasizes recognition of Hawaiian independence and diplomatic ties.

Read at www.bbc.com