Feathers

English Name: Feathers

Feathers must be clean and dry, free from blood, skin or manure.  It is recommended that feathers be commercially cleaned and dyed, prepared and packaged.

Some of the feathers that were commonly used in the Pacific came from cassowaries, birds of paradise and armea (Rotuman myzomela). Commonly used on fine mats were feathers from the lesser frigatebird, Polynesian storm petrels, white-tailed tropicbirds, Fiji petrels and Tahiti petrels. Many of these birds are now listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Today, however, many artists use chicken feathers or imported feathers that have been commercially prepared, packaged and dyed.Feathers must be clean and dry, free from blood, skin or manure.  It is recommended that feathers be commercially cleaned and dyed, prepared and packaged.

When travelling with cultural heritage items, costumes or any other handcrafted product that has feathers taken from a local bird, it is advisable to check  the CITES list and/or the endangered/protected species list, as these may require special permits.