Apron liku

Humphrey No.48: ‘A short apron similar in shape to the next preceding, made of the long black Fibres of a Tree resembling hair, from the Friendly Isles.’

The apron consists of black plant fibres. Fibres up to 47 cm long are plaited into a 60 cm long band.

This object may have come from Fiji, and was perhaps traded in by the Tongans (Kaeppler 1978a: 216). Samwell (in: Beaglehole 1967, Illb: 1043) already reported that Fijians were resident on Tonga in 1777 and that there had been trade between Fiji and Tonga in times of peace. He also saw pieces of clothing (presumably made of barkcloth) which were imported from Fiji. Inken Köhler, Ulrike Rehr, Gundolf Krüger

Sources

Beaglehole, John Cawte, The Journals of Captain James Cook on his Voyages of Discovery The Voyage of the Resolution and Discovery 1776-1780, Hakluyt Society, Extra Series, 36, 1 u. 2. vol. 3, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1955-1967 IIIa and IIIb.

Kaeppler, Adrienne L, ‘Artificial Curiosities’ Being An Exposition of Native Manufactures Collected on the Three Pacific Voyages of Captain James Cook RN [Exhibition catalogue], Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, 1978a.