The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-02-04
THE HAWAIIAN COSTUME.

aries Shocked by tho Innocence of the
Women.
The men dress in duck trousers and
shirts. They are imported from Eng
land free of duty, and are very cheap,
Thewomen universally wear the holaku.
This dress has a history, When the
first ship load Of missionaries reached
tho islands they were met by women,
who went out in boats. They wore
feather eioaks, feather circulets about
the neck and feather waist cloths
Reaching the deck the feathers were
removed, waist cloths and all. Some
OF the ladies with the missionaries
screamed; others turned away their
burning checks and looked far out to
sea; others dived below; they all OBJ
iected. The disrobement was one OF the
customs OF the country, signitying you
are very welcome" but to American
eyes it was little worse than full dress
costume at swell ball.
Ono OF the Chieftainesses was per-
suaded to try civilized attire. Being
told that 1t was the height OF fashion
she gigglingly consented. She was an
enormous woman, weighing over 800
pounds, and not dress on board that
would go around her. Tho nearest
thing to it was nightgown belonging
to the large wife OF small missionary.
This was eked out with strip OF cloth
sewed into the back and placed upon
the elephantine beauty OF the South
Seas. tits the holaku OF to-day. Its
form has been go modified that it is
cross between the nightgown and the
Mother Hubbard" Even the white
women OF the islands wear tit is so
very cool.
The feather cloaks worn by the chiefs
on state occasions are OF extreme beauty
and valuable. King Kamehameha was
the man who conquered all the tribes OF
the island and nodded them into one
nation. His cloak represented the
deaths OF millions Of fowls. There is a
bird upon the islands which bears I'M
dor each wing a single yellow feather
about the size OF mans thumb. 1t is
not common. The garment is made en-
tirely OF these feathers. 1t began as
ring around the neck. Another ring
was tackled to it. In time IL became u
cape. Now it is on enormous cloak.
The labor expended in securing it is
estimated at $l,0O0,000, even at native
prices. Probably it could not be bought
for that sum. Small necklaces OF vol.
low feathers are valued at $3.50 and $500
apiece. The millions OF songsters slain
10 make the cloak OF Kamehamehawere
captured with birdlime and tho two
feathers taken from each little body
we're handed by tho natives as part pay
ment OF the annual tribute.
The Kohelai marks the chief. 1t is q
bunch OF feathers upon tho end OF a
flexible staff OF whalebone. This stall
il REINFORCED by alternate rings OF tor
toise shell and circlets sawed from tho
thigh bone OF man who has been slain
in battle. Tho Royal Rohelai il made
OF the two long feathers which come
from the tail Of the boatswain bird. 1t
is very large. The Koholai is used at
funerals. The sight at the funeral OF
Kalakaua was most brilliant and i'm
pressive. The feathers were solidly
blue, green, yellow, purple, scarlet etc.
No modern dye could even family ap-
proach the brilliancy Of these colors.
They were one heaving, dancing wave
OF beauty,
Much has been said Of the immortality
Of tho women. 1t is no worse than III
other tropical countries. Those Of the
lower class are about on par with the
negroes Of the south. Those who have
married foreigners have been uniform.
ly chaste, digniRed, obedinnt and in
every way desirable wives. The half
breed girls arc beautiful. There is no
color line in Hawaii. Among white men
who have married natives, the feeling
against annexation is very strong The
social life OF tho place takes ita tono
from and Is directed by the Hawaiian
court,