Hawaiian Airlines - #Kalaniopuu

Hawaiian Airlines - #Kalaniopuu

Hawaiian Airlines has reinforced its commitment to the rich culture of the Hawaiian people by helping return cultural treasures lost for over 230 years after they were given to Captain Cook.

Cook played a controversial role in history as a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy. While he circumnavigated the world and made contact with the native peoples of the Pacific, he did not return the goodwill with which he was originally greeted. Instead, his actions ultimately led to his death and the deaths of many of his crew.

Before that tragic end, the chief of Hawai‘i Island (the Big island), Kalani‘opu‘u gifted Cook with cultural treasures: the feathered cloak, Ahu ‘ula; and feathered helmet, mahiole, that he wore. The precious garments were housed in museums in England for years, but in 1912 they were gifted to the Dominion Museum in New Zealand, where they remained in the national collection.

After more than two centuries, through a collaboration with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Bishop Museum, Hawaiian Airlines will return the historical artefacts to their home in Hawai’i. They will be transported aboard a flight on March 13, which marks the third anniversary of the airline’s route between Auckland and Honolulu. Hawaiian Airlines shared a special video of Kalani‘opu‘u on Facebook. Hawaiian Airlines and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs used the hashtag #kalaniopuu to thread the story on Twitter , Vimeo , Instagram and Storify.

For an airline known primarily for bringing North American holidaymakers to Hawaii’s beaches, this campaign shows that the airline’s commitment to its home goes beyond a simple name badging and branding exercise.