Hawaii

Hawaiʻi is a Polynesian archipelago in the North Pacific, whose islands were united as a kingdom under Kamehameha I in 1810. Chiefs, warriors and families used dress and body decoration to express identity and standing.

Tattooing, or kākau, could also express mourning. Historical accounts describe men marking their arms with Kamehameha's name and the date of his death. The skin became a lasting reminder of a respected ruler.

Other designs included a chequered chest pattern called pahupahu, associated in older accounts with protection in battle. Feathered clothing and ornaments created a different, equally dramatic display.

James Cook reached Hawaiʻi in 1778 and was killed at Kealakekua Bay the following year after a dispute escalated. His visits became famous abroad, but the islanders' histories of art, ceremony and political rivalry were much larger than those encounters.