The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-04-26
QUEER BIT FROM HAWAII
fnr rNnintr go KANAkA tlTT
AZ rnT San tnANtis,o tAin.
Native Utass Houses. War Canoes aud
n.ii-s ~ Kaiahaua aud liiiuakaiani
sandbans aud tieid Guns.


when the Provisional Government was
threatened with Royalist attack.
To the right as one eaters are the
trappings of royalty. Ihey are pro.
tected from vulgar touch boy railing
Upon a dais are the two throne room
chairs, deliberately carved Gothic
chairs of Ehzabethan style, upholstered
richly ia red damask, aud with heavy
gilt frames. The right hand chair
belonged 10 Kalakaua, and the left
TO kapiolani. When Queen Liliuoka-
lani assembled she took the chair
Of kalakaua, and the other remained
vacant. Over the chairs is a canopy of
red damask, and at the side are the
royal kahilis. or feather plumes. These
are standards Of richly carved wood,
surmounted by two circular frames of
pink and yellow feathers of the form
and size of handbook. The yellow
feathers are from the rare 90 bird,
whose plumage is reserved especially
for royalty. Above the feather is "a
crown of pink and yellow silk. A
curious adornment consists of a bow of
green ribbon on each standard, Just be-
low the feathers. These kahilis formed
the same part in every Hawaiian cere-
mony as the fasces in Roman functions.
In front of the chairs is a large red plush
pillow, with places for two crowns.
Near the throne is the bed of the ex-
queen. 1t is OF native wood which
resembles walnut in finish. 1t has a
canopy over the headboard of pink silk,
trimmed with white lace, and the COW
erlet is of crimson silk. AT the two
corners of the canopy are small royal
kahilis, upon a table are the royal can
dlesticks, richly ornamented toilet
box, and the Queens saddle cloths, with
the royal monogram worked in silver on
ark-biue cloth. In case are several
very rare relics. The chief is a royal
cape of the 90 bird. These brilliant
yellow feathers are plucked from the
breast of the little bird, and it required
several thousand to make this small
cape. Only one other cape
like this has even been taken
out of Hawaii, and this is the
cape presented many years ago to Queen
Victoria. This cape on exhibition is for
sale, but as the price is $4,000 there is
small prospect of any purchaser for it.
In this same case is Kalakauas famous
meerschaum, richly carved, which he
never had the time to color. Near by
are some relics OF the palace-the spoons
and knives from the pantry, the Queens
wine glasses, which are of a variety
and daintiness that would please "a
gourmet, and her coffee cups, of white
Sevres, with the royal coat of arms
painted on each. These, with various
garments that once clothed the manly
form of kalakaua, make an extremely
interesting exhibit.
Around the room are ranged the
weapons and tools of the Kanakas.
There is ancient armor of woven grass
that will turn an arrow or spear or
deaden the blow of a war club; there
are spears in which are. set the ugly
sharp teeth of the shark; bows and
arrows that differ very little from those
of the Indians of this coast; beauti-
fully carved paddles and spears; bowls
and platters of hard wood, finely carved,
drums, made gourds, and a great
variety of curious articles used in fish
ing and hunting.
One of the chief attractions of the
village is the hula hula dance, which is
given every half hour by band of
professional dancers. This dance has
been described very often, but it is
doubtful whether an artist in words can
give an adequate idea of the savagery
and the passion that tlrese people put
into it when they become excited by
their barbaric music and by the singing
of the musicians. The dancers, with
the exception of one young girl, are all
stout. They can't be called attractive,
for they are dark, greasy women, who
look as though bath would help their
personal appearance. They have. been
forced by American squeamishness to
wear a longer skirt of grass than they
are accustomed to in Honolulu, and
they also wear shoes and stockings,
which give them very clumsy
look Usually the dance goes on in
perfunctory way, but occasionally one
of the dancers becomes excited, and
''lets herself loose" with startling effect.
AT such times one may get good idea
of the hula hula as it is danced in Ha-
waii under the light of the brilliant
moon. The dance does not differ mate.
rally from the danse du ventre of the
Egyptians and Persians, but the hula
has more poetry to commend it than
the other. Three usually dance, &C.
companied by music by three men.
Finally two men join the dancers, and
their presence adds distinctly to the
vigor of the dance.
The Hawaiians live in a few grass
houses at the rear of the village. They
are simple minded as children, as
easily excited and as easily paclfied with
any new thing as a child is. They
suffer severely from inconsistencies, and
probably none of the exiles at this fair
will welcome the day they cross the
ocean more ardently than these Island.
ers.
The Hawaiian Hardware Co.
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