As well as eating the meat of the kakapo , Māori would use kakapo skin with the feathers still attached or individually weave in kakapo feathers with flax fibre to create cloaks and capes . Each one required up to 11 @,@ 000 feathers to make . Not only was these garments considered very beautiful , they also kept the wearer very warm . They was highly valued , and the few still in existence today are considered taonga ( treasures ) — indeed , the old Māori adage " You have a kākāpō cape and you still complain of the cold " was used to describe someone who is never satisfied . Kakapo feathers was also used to decorate the heads of taiaha , but was removed before use in combat .