The ʻIʻiwi Print: Hawaii's Scarlet Songbird, Drawn in the Style of Batik
Watch the ʻiʻiwi spread its tail feathers and you can almost hear its song. Our ʻIʻiwi print draws Hawaii's scarlet honeycreeper in the flowing lines of Javanese batik. But look closely. From a hidden place in the leaves, the pueo, the Hawaiian owl, is quietly watching you.
The ʻiʻiwi
The ʻiʻiwi is one of Hawaii's most striking native birds: brilliant scarlet, about six inches long, with black wings and a long, curved, salmon-colored bill. That bill is made for reaching deep into tube-shaped flowers, and the ʻiʻiwi also sips nectar from ʻōhiʻa lehua blossoms. Its song is a mix of creaks, whistles and gurgles, with a call that sounds like a rusty hinge.
Today the ʻiʻiwi lives mostly in high native forests above about 4,500 feet, on Hawaii Island, Maui and Kauaʻi.
Feathers fit for royalty
The ʻiʻiwi's bright red feathers were prized in old Hawaii. Feather workers used them in the cloaks and other regalia worn by Hawaiian chiefs and royalty.
The pueo
The pueo is Hawaii's native owl. Unlike most owls, it hunts in daylight, gliding low over pastures and hovering before it drops on its prey. Many Hawaiian families honor the pueo as an ʻaumakua, a family guardian spirit. In our print, it's tucked into the leaves. See if you can find it.
The print
The design takes its style from batik, the wax-resist dyeing art of Java, with fine lines, dots and leafy swirls filling every space. The artwork is cream on a deep brown ground. We print it in small batches on Cowboy Cloth and turn the fabric over, so the shirt shows the reverse side: a soft, light, sun-faded version of the design. It's on a long sleeve Western snap shirt. (Read more in Our Fabrics.)
Shop ʻIʻiwi
Iiwi Brown, $125. Long sleeve Western snap shirt, reverse-printed Cowboy Cloth.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ʻiʻiwi? A scarlet Hawaiian honeycreeper with a long, curved bill. It's found only in Hawaii and lives mostly in high native forests.
What is a pueo? The Hawaiian short-eared owl, Hawaii's native owl. It hunts by day, and many Hawaiian families honor it as an ʻaumakua, or family guardian.
Why does the print look like batik? The design is inspired by Javanese batik, a wax-resist dyeing art known for fine lines, dots and flowing leaf patterns.
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