Why did Hawaiian chiefs wear feather cloaks and helmets in battle?

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dilly bag; Aboriginal Australian art, Northern Territory, Australia — Oceanic art and architecture An Aboriginal Australian decorating a tightly woven dilly bag with white, yellow, and ochre (red) paints, Northern Territory, Australia, 1948.

In the context of Hawaiian culture, the use of feather cloaks and helmets by chiefs was deeply tied to the status of a warlike aristocracy and the protection of the wearer.

These items were worn during both important ceremonial occasions and actual combat. Specifically, the smaller, trapezoidal-shaped capes were designed with a straight edge around the neck to provide the wearer with physical protection from attacks during battle.1

Beyond their functional utility, these garments were spectacular examples of featherwork, constructed by attaching bunches of red, yellow, black, and green feathers to a netted base. Chiefs paired these cloaks with wicker helmets, which were also covered in feathers and featured crescentic crests. The significance of these items was further elevated by their association with the war god, whose formidable images—also crafted from wicker and red feathers—were carried into battle on long poles to accompany the chiefs.1