A Heva Tūpāpā’u, also known as a Mourner's Dress, is a costume traditionally worn in Tahiti as part of mourning ceremonies.
It was traditionally worn after the death of an important person in Tahiti culture, in a ceremony that could last weeks or months.
[2] It is estimated that James Cook brought approximately 10 Heva Tūpāpā’u back with him to Europe in 1775 after collecting them during his expeditions.
[2] The Heva Tūpāpā’u also inspired paintings by famous European artists such as Herman Spöring Jr,[2] and Sarah Stone.
"[2] Examples of Heva Tūpāpā’u are present in museums in Hawaii, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.The following institutions contain either a complete or partial Heva Tūpāpā’u in their collections.