Feathers were highly valuable to Hawaiians, akin to jade or gold elsewhere.

Evidence

Feathers were the most valuable raw material at the Hawaiians’ disposal; their equivalent of turquoise in Mexico, jade in China or gold in Europe. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 1332

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 1332
• XREF: connects to: Hawaiian religious practices influenced social interactions with explorers like Cook. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 1335