A feather cloak and my tears ...

I went to the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, which is the Hawaiʻi State Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

I'd been told an important feather cloak was on display having returned to Hawaii from New Zealand, that it contained feathers from now-extinct birds and that Hawaiians had queued to see it. So I was interested.

What I didn't know until I saw it was that it was the cloak given to Captain Cook by high chief Kalani'opuh'u.

Well I don't really know what happened, but I felt completely overwhelmed and just stood there and cried. I have a sense it's to do with HERE and THERE, THEN and NOW, childhood and adulthood, connection and journeys. Powerful stuff to reflect on.Read more