Bishop Museum Honors
Abigail Kawananakoa
Kāhili
Gallery Room Named for Hawaiian Princess
Honolulu , HI …Hawaiian Princess Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawananakoawas honored by Bishop Museum today at 1 p.m. in a special ceremony in the Kāhili Room of the Hawaiian Hall complex. President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Brown presided over the special ceremony naming the recently renovated Kāhili Room after the Princess.
“The Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kāhili Room has been named in Abigail’s honor to celebrate the lifelong commitment the Princess has had to the preservation of Native Hawaiian artifacts and culture,” said Brown at the small gathering.
Born April 23, 1926 , HRH Princess Kawananakoa is the great-grandniece by blood of Queen Kapiolani, wife of King David Kalākaua, and also by adoption, their great-grandchild. She was a strong advocate for the restoration and preservation of the ‘Iolani Palace and Native Hawaiian culture and artifacts.
Bishop Museum has the largest collection of Hawaiian featherwork in the world, including examples of the elegant feather standard bearers (kāhili) of the Hawaiian monarchy. These objects are considered among the most sacred in the Museum’s vast collection of Native Hawaiian artifacts. Today, they stand guard in the Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kāhili Room to honor the ali‘i nui of the Hawaiian kingdom. Paired with the feather standards are the portraits, photographs, and personal effects of the ali‘i they represent. In this intimate gallery, Museum visitors can learn about the royal lineage and history of the Hawaiian Monarchy. The gallery also includes genealogy charts and audio chants.
For more information about the Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kāhili Room, call (808) 847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org.
-pau-