art history

‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cape). Hawaiian. Late 18th century C.E. Feathers and olona fiber. The Hawaiian male nobility wore feather cloaks and capes for ceremonies and battle. Such cloaks and capes were called 'ahu'ula, or "red garments." Across Polynesia the color red was associated with both gods and chiefs. In the Hawaiian Islands, however, yellow feathers became equally valuable, due to their scarcity. Tiny bundles of feathers were attached to the netting in overlapping rows. This small cape has a shaped neckline which would closely fit the wearer. Large numbers of feathered cloaks and capes were given as gifts to the sea captains and their crews who were the earliest European visitors to Hawaii; passed onto patrons/leaders who financed their voyages.  It is not known who brought this particular cape to England.

Lukasa (memory board). Mbudye Society, Luba peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo). c. 19th to 20th century C.E. Wood, beads, and metal. Special objects known as lukasa (memory boards) are used by experts in the oral retelling of history in Luba culture.  The recounting of the past is performative and includes dance and song. Touching and feeling the beads, shells, and pegs to recount history and solve current problems. The Luba Kingdom of the Democratic Republic of Congo was a very powerful and influential presence from the sixteenth to the early twentieth centuries in central Africa.  Their art highlights the roles that objects played in granting the holders the authority of kingship and royal power. The Luba people are one of the Bantu peoples of Central Africa and the largest ethnic group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The Luba had access to a wealth of natural resources including gold, ivory, and copper, but they also produced and trad...