Kiwi Feather Cloak Returns to New Zealand After Decade in UK Museum

A significant cultural artifact has made its way back to New Zealand, as a ceremony was held in Oxford to mark the return of a historic Māori kiwi feather cloak, known as a kahu kiwi. The item had been housed at the Pitt Rivers Museum in the UK for more than a century.

The cloak originally served as a farewell gift presented by Māori leaders in 1900 to Dr. George Cleghorn, a physician who had been practicing in New Zealand. In 1913, Cleghorn’s widow loaned the treasured garment to the Oxford museum, where it remained until now.

The Homebound Project, a charitable organization that financed the repatriation, described the cloak as “crying to come home,” highlighting the emotional urgency behind its return.

Dr. Lorraine Eade, who chairs the Ngāti Rārua o Te Wairau Society, the current owners of the kahu kiwi, emphasized the profound importance of the artifact. She noted that its return also provided an opportunity to recognize Dr. Cleghorn’s contributions to Māori communities.

According to the Pitt Rivers Museum, Dr. Cleghorn was an advocate for Māori rights, particularly in healthcare. He successfully argued for the right of Māori people to receive treatment at local hospitals rather than traveling long distances, and he also educated families on essential public health practices.

Shane Graham, chief executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua, a Māori governing body, called the event a momentous occasion. “It restores mana and honours the deep emotional and cultural significance of our living connection to this taonga,” he said, using the Māori terms for prestige and treasure.

Professor Laura Van Broekhoven, director of the Pitt Rivers Museum, expressed her satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “We are very pleased that the day has come for the Kahu Kiwi to return home.”