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Oceania · c. 1000 – today

Lei niho palaoa

Meaning

A lei niho palaoa is a hooked tongue-shaped pendant of sperm-whale ivory (the 'tongue' may be a stylised tongue, speech and authority) hung on hundreds of finely braided strands of human hair, often from ancestors.

Intent

It was worn only by aliʻi (chiefs) of high rank as a sign of divine descent and mana, and the hair carried ancestral power. It was a gift of tribute and an heirloom.

Significance

It is the pre-eminent symbol of Hawaiian chiefly power and appears in portraits of Kamehameha's court. Whale ivory became more available after contact with European whalers, allowing larger pieces.

History

Early examples used shell, bone or wood; whale-ivory lei niho palaoa date mostly from the late 18th and 19th centuries.

Making yours
5–12 cm hooked ivory tongue (use bone or resin) on two thick coils of 8-ply braided black cord.
Oceania: the tradition

Across Polynesia, power resided in mana, a sacred force that flowed from ancestors and gods and could be held in objects, especially those passed down through generations. Māori pounamu (greenstone) taonga (treasures) accumulated mana with each wearer. Hawaiian chiefs wore whale-ivory and human-hair lei niho palaoa as signs of divine rank. In Melanesia, charms for love, canoe voyages, war and gardens were made by specialists and kept secret. Many Pacific taonga were taken by collectors, and New Zealand and Hawaiian institutions now lead efforts to bring them home.

See all 16, save the ones that feel rightAsk about having one made
WLA haa Lei Niho Palaoa Neck Ornament 5WLA haa Lei Niho Palaoa Neck Ornament 5Boki and Liliha (PP-96-2-001)Boki and Liliha (PP-96-2-001)Necklace, Hawaii, before 1871, human hair, whale toothNecklace, Hawaii, before 1871, human hair, whale toothBoki and Liliha (PP-96-2-003)Boki and Liliha (PP-96-2-003)Governor Boki of Oahu and his Wife Liliha, oil on canvas by John HayterGovernor Boki of Oahu and his Wife Liliha, oil on canvas by John HayterLei Niho Palaoa (Neck Ornament), 19th century, Carved sperm whale tooth, braided human hair, olona cordageLei Niho Palaoa (Neck Ornament), 19th century, Carved sperm whale tooth, braided human hair, olona cordageMele (Mary) Kaupoko (Padeken)Mele (Mary) Kaupoko (Padeken)Old Hawaiian wahine with kahiliOld Hawaiian wahine with kahiliWLA haa Lei Niho Palaoa Neck OrnamentWLA haa Lei Niho Palaoa Neck OrnamentWLA haa Pair of Lei Niho Palaoa Neck OrnamentWLA haa Pair of Lei Niho Palaoa Neck OrnamentBoki and Liliha (PP-96-2-004)Boki and Liliha (PP-96-2-004)Mele Kaupoko wearing a lei niho palaoa (PPWD-8-1-030)Mele Kaupoko wearing a lei niho palaoa (PPWD-8-1-030)WLA haa Lei Niho Palaoa Neck Ornament 4WLA haa Lei Niho Palaoa Neck Ornament 4Boki and Liliha (PP-96-2-002)Boki and Liliha (PP-96-2-002)Study for 'Hawaiian Woman with Hair Necklace' by Grace Hudson, 1901Study for 'Hawaiian Woman with Hair Necklace' by Grace Hudson, 1901WLA haa Hawaiian neck ornamentWLA haa Hawaiian neck ornament

More from Oceania: Hei-tiki · Hei-matau & Māori pendants · Melanesian & Pacific charms
Every type in the gallery

Anything in the gallery can be made, by hand, in the prescribed metal or yours and, where the tradition names an hour, at that hour or with a plain note that it was not. Numbered. Price on commission, quoted first. I reply within one business day.