Oxord Ceremony Marks Return Home of Kiwi Feather Cloak - BBC News
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Ceremony Marks Return of Māori Kiwi Feather Cloak to New Zealand by British Museum
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: A kahu kiwi, or feather cloak, worn by a Māori chief in 1903
Published 28 minutes ago
A ceremony has been held in Oxford to mark the return of a kiwi feather cloak to New Zealand, following its loan from the Pitt Rivers Museum since 1913.
The kahu kiwi, one of several farewell gifts presented by Māori leaders to Dr George Cleghorn in 1900, was returned thanks to the efforts of the Homebound Project, a charity dedicated to repatriating cultural items. The cloak, described as "crying to come home," is now owned by Ngāti Rārua o Te Wairau Society.
Dr Lorraine Eade, chair of Ngāti Rārua o Te Wairau Society, highlighted the item's profound significance: "Its return is an opportunity to acknowledge Dr Cleghorn’s work for Māori people." She emphasized its “beyond measure” cultural value.
Key Takeaways:
- The cloak was loaned by Dr Cleghorn's widow to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1913.
- Dr Cleghorn advocated for Māori access to local healthcare and educated families on public health measures while working in New Zealand.
- The return ceremony, held earlier in Oxford, celebrated both the cultural significance of the cloak and Dr Cleghorn’s legacy.
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