Grass Skirts: Pacific Tradition, Hawaiian Myth, and Museum Collections

Grass skirts originate across Pacific islands and are made from varied plant fibers such as pandanus, banana, and hibiscus. Though popularly linked to Hawaiian hula, that link owes much to tourism; traditional Hawaiian dress used other materials. Dye sources were mainly plant-based. Museums, including the Smithsonian, hold 19th-century Pacific garments, but exact provenance and expedition details require checking museum records.

Can you solve this riddle? What is worn in Hawaii and smoked in New York? It is grass.

Origins and misunderstandings

Grass skirts are widely associated with Hawaiian hula in popular culture, but that association is partly a product of 20th-century tourism. Traditional Hawaiian hula more commonly used kapa cloth, malo, and pa'u skirts. Skirts made from plant fibers - pandanus and other local leaves - are a long-standing feature across many Pacific islands, where styles, names and techniques vary by island and purpose.

Materials and making

Pacific skirts are usually woven from local plant fibers. Depending on place and tradition, artisans use long leaves or shredded fiber from pandanus, hibiscus, banana, and other plants to braid or tie skirts. Some islands also incorporate fern, coconut fiber, or bark cloth in ceremonial garments.

Different techniques produce different textures. Everyday skirts tend to be coarser and more utilitarian. Skirts prepared for ceremony are often finely worked, dyed, and trimmed for visual effect.

Color and dye

Dyes for Pacific garments traditionally came from plant sources: roots, bark, leaves and fruit. Natural dyes produced a range of colors; local techniques and materials determined hues and colorfastness. (Some historical accounts mention animal-based recipes in specific places; further verification is advised for particular island practices.)

Yap and other islands

Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) is often cited for distinctive skirts and other woven items. Across Micronesia and Polynesia, women's skirts carry stylistic markers that can indicate origin, status, or intended use.

Specific materials and construction methods vary by island and community; museum labels sometimes generalize for a broad audience. If you are researching a particular garment (for example, a piece recorded in a 19th-century collection), consult the museum catalogue entry for precise details. ¹

Museums and historical collections

U.S. collecting voyages in the 19th century brought many Pacific objects into institutions such as the Smithsonian. These collections remain valuable for study, conservation, and public display. Exact provenance, accession dates and expedition names for individual items should be checked against museum records - some published narratives of these voyages (including modern histories of the U.S. Exploring Expedition) add context but do not substitute for catalog data. ²

Today's context

Grass and woven skirts are worn today in ceremonial contexts, cultural festivals, dance and tourism. Many communities actively preserve traditional weaving knowledge and adapt techniques for contemporary expression.

If you travel in the Pacific or attend a cultural festival, look for local makers and ask about materials and meanings; that direct connection gives the best introduction to living traditions.

1. Confirm whether specific grass skirts from Yap are catalogued at the Smithsonian and obtain accession dates and provenance.
2. Verify primary plant materials listed for Yap grass skirts (e.g., betel nut leaves versus pandanus or hibiscus).
3. Confirm any historical use of fish-based dyes in Pacific skirt traditions or identify the correct sources for dye recipes.
4. Check the correct expedition name(s), dates and published accounts (e.g., U.S. Exploring Expedition and Nathaniel Philbrick's 'In the Heart of the Sea'/'Seas of Glory') associated with specific Smithsonian acquisitions.