bark fibre of the aute, but the more rigorous climate of New Zealand demanded something better. Doubtless this was the reason why the culture of the aute, or paper-mulberry, was almost abandoned here, the fibre thereof being in later times merely used to construct flying-kites, or as covering for the symbol of an atua (god).

Thus the Polynesian migrant would turn his attention to searching for a stronger and more lasting material with which to clothe himself. This he found in the fibres of the harakeke (Phormium tenax), the toi (Cordyline indivisa), and kiekie (Freycinetia banksii). These he utilised, and, as time passed on, there came the knowledge of how to prepare and weave these fibres into suitable garments. And although but a hand-weaver, yet has the Maori acquired the art of making cloaks and other articles of a very close, neat, and durable nature. Many of their finer cloaks were very beautiful, and Maori weaving must not be judged by the articles made by them for sale to Europeans.

I was fortunate in finding here in Tuhoe Land some of the elder people who yet retain much of this interesting and ancient knowledge of the art of weaving, and also in inducing them to weave in the old style some of the garments of bygone days, that the same may be placed in various museums in the colony, and thus conserving, by these various illustrations, the knowledge of this art as it was taught in the whare pora of old.

In the realm of Tuhoe every important village possessed certain houses which were specially built for, and devoted to, the study and prosecution of various matters important to the Maori. We will give the names of these, and purposes for which they were used:—

The Whare Maire, or Whare Takiura.—This was a sacred house set apart for the teaching of the ancient history, genealogies, religion, &c., of the tribe. It was the head university and Herald's College of the district.

The Whare Mata.—This house was devoted to Tane, god of forests. In it was taught and carried on the manufacture of snares, traps, and other devices for the taking of birds; also certain rites pertaining to such matters were here performed.

The Whare Tapere.—This was the house of pleasure, where the young people of the village met at night to play the various games of old. It was devoted solely to amusement, the allurements of the rehia.^* The presiding deities of this house were Takataka-putea and Marere-o-tonga, who were the parents or inventors of all games.

The Whare Pora.—This was the house specially set aside for teaching the art of weaving in its various branches, and in it were performed the ceremonies connected with the installation and teaching of the tauira, or students.

It will thus be observed that the above houses were schools for the teaching of various subjects; but they were also something more, for the various labours, rites, &c., pertaining to such subjects were continually carried on in these ancient colleges by the elder members of the tribe.

There are other whare of a special nature, and which are often mentioned in the unwritten archives of Tuhoe Land, but they were not schools in any sense. The whare potae, or whare taua, was the house of mourning, but in many cases the term was merely a figurative one, and used much as we use it. An expression of a still less literal nature is “te whare o te riri “—i.e., “the house of war.” The whare kahu was a rude hut, often specially constructed for the purpose, occupied by women during confinement. When the infant was about two nights old, mother and child were transferred to the whare kohanga, or nest house. But to return to the whare pora.

We will now endeavour to give some idea of the initiation of a student in the whare pora, having fortunately been able to obtain the information from one who has been through the ceremonies.

When a young woman is desirous of entering the whare pora in order to be taught the various arts pertaining to the manufacture of clothing she first obtains the services of a tohunga (priest or wise man). It is not necessary that he should be a tohunga of high rank, but he must be acquainted with the rites and karakia (invocations, incantations, or ritual) of the whare pora. She will then say to the mohio (person of knowledge), “Puhatia ake ahau ki to maramara, he hiahia noku.” A strange expression this, and one which applies to a peculiar custom, as we shall see anon.

The tohunga and the tauira (pupil) are alone in the whare pora; no others may be admitted. The pupil seats herself before the turuturu: these are two sticks about 1 in in diameter and 4 ft. in length; they are stuck in the ground some distance apart, according to the width of the garment to be woven; the upper ends of the sticks often rest against the roof near the walls of the house. This is all the frame used by the Maori weaver—these upright sticks—though in weaving such cloaks as korowai four turuturu are used. To these sticks is attached the tawhiu, which is the first aho, or woof-thread. The tawhiu is pulled taut and secured, and then to it are attached one end of the io, or warp-threads (known as “whengu” among some tribes), which io are thus suspended

from the tawhiu, and hang down to the floor of the house. Thus the work is held or supported by the tawhiu and braced by the turuturu. The cross-threads, or woof (aho), are woven from left to right across the frame. Bach aho is composed of four twisted threads (miro). Two of these are passed on either side of each io, being woven in and out, over and under, in a very dexterous manner, and forming, if the aho are not too far apart, a very close, neat, and strong garment.

The first aho to be woven next the tawhiu is the aho tapu, or sacred woof-thread. It is imbued with the sacredness of the house, the weaver, and the various ceremonies.

But the tohunga and the tauira are waiting for us. She is seated before the turuturu. The right-hand one is the sacred turuturu; the left-hand one is noa (common, devoid of tapu), and is known as “Rua.”^*Before the pupil are spread out or suspended various garments of a fine design, woven by a master-hand in fine patterns of dyed fibre. It is desired that the pupil may be taught to do such fine -work as that before her; that the knowledge, taste, dexterity, and power be forced into her during one lesson, as it were, and not drawn out through a long series of lessons, extending maybe over a considerable period of time, as is the case with the benighted pakeha. You may imagine this to be an impossibility. Not so: the gods who live for ever can accomplish it.

The pupil takes in her hand some prepared fibre, and holds it while the tohunga is reciting the karakia, known as “More-more puwha”:—

He Moremoer Puwha.
(E poua ana tena i te tangata.)

• Poua mai te pou, ko te pou-e

• Ko whakahihiri, ko whakahohoro

• Tu-mata-ihi, Tu-mata-whare

• Tukua mai te aho kia kawitiwiti

• Kia taia hotaoro mo te oti wawe

• Wawe ki runga, wawe ki raro

• Wawe ki te oti o te hikuhiku

• Oti tatahi, oti ki te whare

• Buru te puke

• Puki-i-ahua, Puke-i-apoa

• Apoa ki te rangi

• Whanui ki te whenua

• E oti. E oti-e.

As the tohunga finishes the karakia the pupil stoops forward and bites the upper part of the sacred turuturu—i.e., the right-hand one. She then takes the prepared fibre she has been holding, and weaves the aho tapu across the frame. She has now woven the sacred woof, and come under the influence

of the priestly invocations. She has entered the whare pora. She is a daughter of Rua and Hine-ngaroa.

The next item is the ceremony of whakanoa, which is to take the tapu off the pupil, her work, and surroundings. This is known as the hurihanga takapau (the turning of the takapato, or floor-mat); but this is purely a figurative expression; it means the lifting of the tapu, the tapu itself is the takapau. This important invocation having been repeated by the priest or elder, the pupil takes up the puwha and eats it, or merely places it to her lips and hands it to the tohunga to eat.

Some authorities state that the puwha is placed upon the garment which the pupil proposes to copy in her work, from which she takes it at the time when it is to be eaten, that the desired pattern may be clear to her, and thoroughly understood.

Another karakia used in the above rite was known as a “pou. “It was to force home the newly acquired knowledge, and render it firm and lasting. In all such initiations, whether of the whare pora, the whare maire, or whare mata, the first task of the priest was to recite an invocation to render the pupil clear-headed and quick to grasp the new knowledge, to endow him or her with a receptive mind and retentive memory. A similar ceremony was performed over warriors about to engage in a fight, to make them observant, clear-minded, and brave—in a word, to ward off the horrors of the pahunu, the hinapo, and the parahuhu, which ever appear in the train of Tu-mata-rehurehu, of dread memory.

We will now give another description of the above ceremony, With additional karakia, as supplied by that fine old patriarch, Tu-takanga-hau, of Maungapohatu, for to him and Paitini, of Ngati-tawhaki, am I indebted for my being initiated into the mysteries of the whare pora:—

Ki te puta te whakaaro a tetehi tangata ki tana tamaiti, ki tana mokopuna ranei, hai pupurn i nga korero, i nga whakairo rakau ranei, whakairo tangata ranei, whakairo kakahu ranei, katahi ka mahia e ia tetehi mea hai whakamaunga mana mo taua mahi, ki tana tamaiti, ki tana mokopuna ranei. Ko te kupu tuatahi:—

• Ka zna Rua, ka ma Rua-ki-te-hihiri

• Ka ma Rua-i-te-rarama

• Ka ma taku hau tu, ka ma taku hau korero

• Ka ma taku hau i taea e te ata hapara.

Ka nautu enei, ma Rua ena e kai. Ko Rua tona, aria he rakau Katahi ka tangohia ko te puwha. Ko nga kupu enei:—

• Te umu tirama nuku, tirama rangi

• Ko koe, koi wetekia noatia e koe

• Whiwhiou ngakau, ou tangata

• Kia puta ki te wai ao

• Ki te ao marama.

• Tana te umu

• Te umu ka eke, te umu kai a koe

• Ha te umu o enei korero

• Ka ma nga koromatua

• Ka ma hoki tenei tauira.

Ka kainga te puwha e te tangata, ara e te tauira. Katahi ka poua ki ie karakia:—

He Pou

• Pou hihiri, pou rarama

• Tiaho i roto, marama i roto

• Wananga i roto, marama i roto

• Tena te pou, te pou ka eke

• Te pou kai a koe na

• Ko te pou o enei korero.

Then, striking the side of the house, the tohunga repeats:—

• Ka pa ki tua, ka pa ki waho

• Ka pa ki te whare

• He wahanga nuku, he wahanga rangi.

Heoti ano, kua noa, kua puta te tauira kai waho.

After the pupil has woven the oho tapu she will probably weave in more woof-threads beneath, and thus make a band of some few inches in depth, copying the work of the garment spread before her; but this is never worn, nor even completed in the form of any garment; it is her “pattern piece “(mea tauira). When the ceremony of the hurihanga takapau is over the tapu is lifted from the participants, and the pupil may now leave the whare pora and partake of food.

The custom described above, of repeating invocations in order to make a person receptive and clear-headed, was one that called for action at a remarkably early period of life. When the iho, or umbilical cord, of a child is severed, and the end thrust back, a priest recites certain karakia to cause the marama (clearness) to enter and abide in the child; to cultivate the perceptive faculties, that it may be possessed of a quick understanding; and also to cause all pouritanga (darkness, sluggishness of intellect) to be cast out with the severed pito. These karakia whakamarama, together with the pou invocation, had a strong and satisfactory effect on Maori students of old, for, whether they were passing through the whare pora, whare takiura, or whare mata, they were thus, by Divine aid, enabled to assimilate and retain all matter, through hearing or observation, in one lesson—that is to say, no repetition of a lesson was ever necessary. Genealogies and karakia of a truly alarming length were repeated but once in the whare maire. Those who have passed through the whare pora will, if shown a new pattern of weaving, faithfully reproduce that pattern on the first trial. Should the weaver but obey the rules of the whare pora she can make no error. The gods are behind her. I obtained a short while since a rather in-

tricate but handsome pattern for the ornamental border (tanika) of a maro-kopua, which I wished to have reproduced. I therefore sent for the old lady who is chief ruwahine of the decaying whare pora of Rua-tahuna, and requested her to weave me such a one. The pattern was new to her, but she sat down and studied it for about half an hour. She then departed, with a promise to complete the order, but with no request to be allowed to take the pattern. She finished the piece to perfection, it being an exact counterpart of the pattern. The only error she made was, I grieve to state, caused by myself. I stopped at the kainga one day to see how my taniko was progressing, and foolishly continued to smoke as I sat in the weaving-house. Of course, there could be but one result from such a godless and impious act. A mistake was at once made in the pattern of the weaving, and I was requested to leave forthwith.

The term “pou” is applied to” the karakia given, but it is also, used as a verb. Old Whatu, speaking of his wife's knowledge of weaving, said, “Kua poua e au taku wahine ki tenei mahi, kua whangaia ki te puwha, kua karakiatia.” She was therefore supposed to be able to do anything in that line.

The above ceremony would also appear to have the effect of rendering a person energetic at the work taught. An old man said in my hearing, “Of a woman indolent at weaving it is said, ‘Ko tenei tamaiti, kaore i poua e ona matua’ (she was never poua by her parents).”

The puwha (sometimes “puha “) used in this ceremony has been the source of much tribulation to me. Some assert that it is the common edible puwha that is used; others that the term is applied to the kohukohu and other small plants. Yet again I have been informed that it is a generic term for what–ever sacred food is used in the ceremony, and that its use is to cause the pupil to retain the knowledge imparted to him or her, and to assist the pou invocation in driving home the lesson. This puwha is also used in other whakanoa ceremonies, when it is eaten by the ruwahine employed to take the tapu off. Also, when a priest is reciting the invocation known as “takutaku” over a sick person, in order to cause the evil spirit assailing such person to leave him, that priest takes a piece of the long-leaved puwha and passes it under or round (tapeka) the left thigh of the invalid, and then across his body—hai ara mo te mate, kia puta ki waho—as a path by which the affliction or evil spirit may leave him.^*On this same subject another authority states that when the takutaku

was repeated a young leaf or shoot of flax was laid across the body of the invalid as a pathway for the atua which was supposed to be gnawing at the vitals of the haura (invalid), after which the tapu was taken off by the horohoro ceremony, into which entered the puwha, wrapped around a piece of cinder (ngarahu ahi mate).

Going, back to the tauira, old Ngahoro, of Ngatimahanga, says, “Ka moremore puwhatia te tauira, ha whangaia hi a ia”—the priest wraps a piece of puwha round a small stone and repeats his invocation over it. He then holds it to the mouth of the pupil (tauira), who simply bites the puwha, but does not eat it. The priest then takes the stone to the tuahu, or sacred place of the village, and there leaves it. The pupil will then be able to learn his tasks, and retain anything shown or repeated to him but once (kua marama a roto). A similar ceremony was held over a pupil in the school for wood-carving. In these degenerate days the puwha is replaced, I regret to state, by the common domestic pipe. So much for the Moremore puwha and its uses.

We have mentioned one Rua as a kind of tutelary deity of the whare pora. One of the turuturu is named after him. The name is also applied to the house-post on which the maro is suspended at the time of the kawa ceremony. At some remote period in the history of this ancient tribe of Tuhoe, or of the people from whom they sprang, there has flourished a popular, hero chief or wise man of this name. Rua is probably a deified ancestor, and the name enters largely into the mythology and sacred lore of Tuhoe Land, usually under the forms Rua-te-hihiri and Rua-te-pupuke. A member of the Ngatiawa Tribe—H. Tikitu, of the Pahipoto hapu (sub-tribe)—told me that Rua-te-pupuke was the originator of whakairo, a term which is applied not only to wood-carving, but also to tattooing and the weaving of coloured patterns in cloaks, &c. He states that on a cliff near Te Kaokao-roa, at no great distance from Te Awa-a-te-atua, are incised all the known patterns of whakairo. They were engraved thereupon by the gods of old, and from those patterns the old-time Maoris derived their knowledge of whakairo. A strange story this, and an interesting one when we reflect upon the fact that the art of wood-carving as practised by the Maori of New Zealand appears to be a home production. Again, it is said that Te Tini-o-te-Hakuturi, a tribe of wood-elves of far Hawaiki, taught Rua the art of wood-carving, and that he obtained patterns or designs from spiders' webs. Others” state that Rua-te-para-kore and Rua-te-kuka were the fathers or originators of carving. The former said, “Let all dust and small chips be carefully cleaned out of all wood-carvings.” “Not so,” replied Rua-

te-kuka; “let them remain, that the red-ochre paint may adhere.” Whoever the original Rua may have been, it is more than probable that he was a denizen of the Hawaikian fatherland. It is here worthy of note that Tahiti would appear to be known to the Maori of New Zealand as Tawhiti-nui-a-Rua. Among my notes on Rua I find the following: Rua-te-pupuke was asked to go fishing. He replied, “Na wai te kokomuka-tu-tara-tohare i kiia tea haere?” (Who says that the kokomuka growing on the house-walls should go abroad?) The kokomuka-tu-tara-whare is a species of Veronica which is often seen growing upon the earth-covered whore puni of this land. The aged Rua meant to imply that he was too old to go a-fishing; he had grown to the walls of his house. This term is often applied to people of a stay-at-home nature. Also Te Tini-o-tie-kokomuka-tu-tara-whare is said to have been the name of one of the ancient tribes of this region.

The following is a fragment taken from one of my notebooks, and presumably a portion of a karakia:—

Rua te pupuke, Rua te hotahota
Takoto te ika whenua i te rangi
Katahi ka uraki mai
Ki te whanau o te manumanu kikino
Ki te Aitanga a Punga i au-e.

And again, in an ancient tangi or lament for one Rangi-uia, a famous ancestor of the East Coast:—

Whiti tuatoru.

Ko wai ra e hika
To mata i haere ai koe ki te Po
Ko Turanga wahine, ko Turanga tane
Te mata tena o to tupuna
O te Ao-ariki i te Mann tukutuku
Ka hinga tona puta ko Wai-o-tira-e
I oma atu ra kia Papa raia
I huribia atu ra e Tane ki raro
Ka puta atu ki waho ko Ruau-moko-e
Tarawa i coua puta ko te Baukape ra
Ko Tama-reo-rangi ka kume i a Tini
E waitohu ake ki te ao marama
Ka ngarue te whenua, ka ngaoko te moaoa
Ko te tuxnu o te rangi, ko te take o te rangi
Ko Maru-i-tauira, ko Maru-i-torohanga
Ko Maru-i-taura, ko Maru-i-tawai
Ko Maru-i-taketake, ko Maru-whakatupua
Ka ea ki runga ra
Ko te Tumoremore, ko te Tuhaha
Ko Rua-kapanga-e, Te Manu-nui ra
Ko Rua-te-bohonu, ko U-wawe-ki-uta
Ko Manawa-pou-e
Ko Kourunga ra, ko Tu-mauri-rere
Me ko Rongo-wbakaata, ko Rongomai-hi-kau
Ko Rua-whetuki-e
Ko Hitamu-rira, ko Turourou ra
Ko te Ika whakata ki roto o Turanga.

Here Kua-te-hohonu appears in a connected genealogy, as has been proved by independent evidence. When Poura-ngahua went from Turanga (Poverty Bay) to Hawaiki he there obtained the kumara, and it is said to have been Rua who lent him the Manu-nui of Rua-kapanga as a means of bringing the kumara to New Zealand. This occurred at Ahuahu-te-rangi, at Hawaiki. One account states that it was to bring the Kura-o-tai-ninihi here, but this may be simply a term for the prized kumara. As for the Manu-nui, my informant says, “Ko Tane taua manu” (that bird was Tane), but whether in the form of a bird or a canoe I know not.

Te Whatu, of Tuhoe, says, “Mata-ora was an ancestor of the very remote past. He it was who first taught the art of boring or piercing (poka) in wood-carving. His knowledge descended to Rua.”

In a lament composed by Ranga-ika for his son, who was slain by Moko-nui-a-rangi, we find:—

Kati ra E faika
Te takoto i raro o Papa-tahua-roa
E ara ki runga ra. E mau ki to toki
Haua atu ra ki te Riu o Tane
E mau ki to patupatu hai tono kai mau i te ata
Nga mahi E hika! Na Rua-te-pupuke
Na Rua-te-hotahota, na Hine-ngaroa
Ra mahue i a koe
Ka puta mai te karere i a fee whare kahu ra
Ka pae Ngati-ngahere, he homai i te huia
He homai kakahu i te remu ngorengore
I te wai whinau, te Whatu o Poutini
Hai kawe i a koe ki te unahi o te Ika o Pararaki
Ki te awe mahiti mo Te Whata-angaanga
Ko te upoko ra E Waru-kai-tutae!
E Hongi-kai-hamuti! E Nini-ngau-tara
Ko taku ai pahu ra
Hai kohu manu ki Whitikawa raia
Mo te tai ruru-e, ki te pu whakatangi
Mau e ui mai mo te ara i whea mo te tamaiti-e
Ka riro nei i a koe
Taku waka to kau, he pitau whakarei
Taku waka whakatekateka.
Ki te tau o te wai-e.

This Hine-ngaroa here mentioned is said to have been a famous ancestress of the misty past, and who was a contemporary of Rua. She taught the art of weaving baskets and sleeping-mats in coloured patterns. It is probable this name is a form oi Hinganga-roa, who is here said to have been a child of Houmea-taumata and Tautu-porangi of wondrous fame. Houmea was probably of this region, inasmuch as a small pond on the summit of Huia-rau is known as Te Puna-a-Houmea, while Te Toka-a-Houmea is a huge rock situated in a paddock and near the roadside about a mile from Whaka-

tane Township, on the road to Rua-toki. In “White's “Ancient History of the Maori “(vol. 2, p. 163) it is stated that Hinganga-roa built the first carved house from patterns, obtained by Rua from Tangaroa (the Polynesian Neptune). The story of Rua and Tangaroa-a-whatu as retained by Tuhoe is of great interest.

Of the origin of the art of weaving, H. T. Pio, of Ngatiawa, says, “The first of our ancestors to understand the art of weaving clothing was Hine-rauamoa, who was the wife of Tane-nui-a-rangi. She wove the garments known as hudira, tawhiri, maro-waiapu, huna, and tawhara-nui.^* That was the commencement of “weaving among men, and the knowledge of weaving and ornamenting cloaks increased as time passed on.” Among these ancient garments Pio mentions te kiri o Tane, or tree-bark. This may possibly be a reference to the ante of Polynesia.

Of the kuaira, Pio says, “He huruhuru no tetahi iwi no mua noa atu o Mataora. He huruhuru manu pea. Ka mahia hai kakahu.” The kuaira was (made of) the huruhuru (hair, fur, or feathers) of a very ancient tribe of remote times, of the realm of Mataora. It may have been feathers of birds. It was used for clothing. In Tregear's dictionary “kuara” is given as a sandal.

While passing through the ceremonies described above, as also those pertaining to the whare maire, &c., the novice is not allowed to parbake of food, nor even to approach any place where food is cooked, kept, or eaten; nor may the pupil have any communication with his or her family. Should the rites or lesson not be completed during the first day, then the pupil must either sleep in the whare where the initiation takes place or else go off and sleep by himself somewhere outside. Wherever he may sleep, he and his sleeping-place are tapu. Not until after the tapu is taken off may the pupil eat food or retire to his own domestic circle.

After the flax-fibre has been obtained from the leaf by a scraping, or, rather, stripping, process (hangu, or haro), it is known as whitau, hitau, or muka. This fibre is then hung up in the sun to bleach, otherwise it will become discoloured (pango, whero, or puwai). For the finer class of cloaks, kilts, &c., it is then put through a beating process. The operator takes a hank of the fibre, and, placing it on a stone, beats it with a stone club (patu hitau). This makes the fibre very soft, and tends to bleach it. Fibre intended for the io (warp) is thus treated until quite soft (ngakungaku), but not so that intended for aho (woof-threads). The patu, or stone club, is about 10 in. long, and is well formed, being as symmetrical as

a war-club, though not polished. They were made of hard volcanic stone (kara or uri), the rough grain of that stone being preferred. A piece of quartz was lashed to a handle, and with this crude implement the club was chipped into form, albeit a long and tedious process. A good patu was much prized by weavers, and was handed down for many generations. The patu of the hard maire wood were too smooth to be appreciated for the above work, but were used for pounding fern-root, and some for pounding bark for dyeing.

Two kinds of threads are used in weaving—namely, miro and karure. The miro is simply a piece of fibre twisted by being rolled under the hand. The fibre is placed across the leg just above the knee, and held by the left hand. The right hand is placed upon it and thrust outwards, thus rolling and twisting the fibre beneath it. This movement is termed a “maui.” The same movement is then repeated, but backwards—i.e., towards the body. This is called a “katau.” The two rollings complete the process, and the miro is complete. This word “miro” is used as both verb and noun, as also is the term “karure.” The karure is formed by twisting two miro together, the result being a very strong thread. The thrums for korowai, &c., are usually karure.

Tihoi: This term is applied to short aho (woof-threads) woven into the centre of cloaks, maro, &c., in order to widen the centre, and give them a rounded form, that they may fit better. It is equivalent to the mata-whiti, or skipped mesh, in netting. The tihoi cross-threads do not extend to the edges (tapa) of the garment.

Tami: This word is applied to the tihoi, to denote completion Kua tami te tihoi—that is, the short aho are completed.

Kamo: To close or finish off a pattern in taniko (ornamental border to a cloak or kilt, woven in patterns with different-coloured threads) is expressed by the term “kamo.” In weaving the diamond pattern, when a diamond is finished off at the lowest point it is “kua kamo.”

Tăuă: This expression is applied to commencing the weaving of a garment. It is an ancient word, and applies only to weaving. Thus the aho tapu is known as the aho tauatanga (= aho timatatanga), or commencing woof-thread. Also, should I say “E whatu ana ahau i taku hihi-ma” (I am weaving my hihi-ma) the expression would not be good form; it savours of conceit; people will think that I am very proud of my knowledge of weaving. It is much better to say, “E taua ana ahau i taku hihi-ma (he kupu whakaiti tena)”—, Lam beginning to weave my hihi-ma, the same being a fine cloak with white thrums (hukahuka). In like manner is the

expression “karukaru kete” made use of. Thus, I may say, “I am going to collect my karukaru kete.” I do not say “my property,” lest people should say that I was conceited; but still it has that meaning. Again, in a manuscript book written by my worthy old teacher, H. T. Pio, of the sons of Awa, I find this: “Ka rewa te taua. Ka ki-atu te tangata o te kainga, ‘Haere, kia pai te haere. Te karukaru kete kei mahue, te părărā kete kei mahue. Kei piki i mua o te aroaro o tetohunga, te mate o tena he kahupo, kaore e hopu i tetehi karukaru kete, me te mea e matapo ana. E kore rawa e hopu. He hara”—“The war-party goes forth. The people say, ‘Farewell! Be cautious. Forsake not the karukaru kete (take food with you). Forsake not the părărā kete (the sacred basket of the priest, in which is carried the tapu food for the Taumata and Kete rites before battle), lest ye pass before the person of the priest and be afflicted by the kahupo. If so, you will take no karukaru kete (loot, or prisoners), but be aa one blind. You will take none, because you have sinned.’” However, this is digression.

Kaupapa: This word is applied to the body of a feather cloak. The body or basis or groundwork is woven of dressed flax-fibre, and is termed the “kaupapa.” The feathers are inserted as the weaving proceeds/being secured by the aho.

Kiri kiore: An expression applied to close, neat weaving, in which the aho are very close together. Of neat work in weaving or carving a mohio will say, “Na te rehe.” This word seems to be applied to a small-handed dexterous person, handy at fine work, and of a quick, nervous temperament, as in “Ou mahi a te rehe,” “He rehe, na te rehe,” and “He maikutu tona tukunga iho.” “Maikutu” means meddlesome. Of a. child who is continually handling, fingering, or pulling things about we say, “Ou mahi a te maikutu.”.

Hinarunaru (= hingarungaru): This word is used to denote rough, poor weaving; it has a ridgy and uneven appearance. It is also applied to a rough or lumpy sea.

Taheha and takeka are words used to describe rough, unsightly weaving.

Hukihuki means unfinished: “Ko te korowai i tukuna e koe, haere hukihuki ana” (the korowai cloak that you sent goes in an unfinished state).

Ruha is a term given to worn-out fishing-nets, the same being made of whitau. They were often utilised as kilts, &c. An old proverb says,”Ka pu te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi” (the old net is cast aside when the new one is brought into use), a saying applied to a young person taking up the labours of his aged parents.

Parahuhu: To draw fibre across the thumb-nail in order to scutch it.

Tawewe and katoatoa are words used to describe slovenly weaving, the aho being too far apart.

Kawitiwiti denotes that the io have been spaced too wide.

Whatu: To weave. Ta: To net. Ta is also an abbreviated form of tahei (to set snares for birds on trees).

Some interesting allusions to the art of the whare pora and other matters are contained in a lullaby composed by Hautu for her granddaughter, Te Pare-kānga:—

He Oriori.

E hine, e moe nei. Kati ra ke te moe
E ara ki runga ra, e mau ki te hoe
Ko te hoe nui e. Ko te hoe roa-e
Ko te hoe na Mata-hourua i tutu ai i te ata-e
Taia atu ra te tata, te takerepapa ra
Kia mimiti. kia pakora te tai ki Hawaiki—E hine ra.
E hine, hai noho i te taha ki te ahi, hai te koko-pouri
Kia whakarongo to taringa ki te waha o Tane
E ko^* i te ata
Ko te tohu o te raumati, E hine
Toia ake ra te tatau, ka titiro ki waho ra
Haea mai ra ko te ata i tua, ko te ata i waho
Ko te ata e whano ai e tu te horopito i raro-e
Kao, ka awatea-e.
Ka hopu ra to ringaripga ki te turuturu
Komau whakaarahia i te putahi
Tuaumutia ra, ka kai Rua-i-te-hihiri
Ka kai Tangaroa me tana wbanau wahine
Me Hine-karekare, me Hine-ahu-one
Ko nga wahine ra tena i haere ai
Taputai roa i Hawaiki
E hine ra, taumahatia ra
Tuia a uta, tuia a tai, tuaia i te pito-e
Whatua mai te aho kia kawitiwiti, kia katoatoa
Mo te oti wawe, E hine
Waiho te whare, E hine,
I to tipuna, i a Faia
Hua rawa atu nei, ka matau rawa i a ia
Te whata a to tipuna, a Raumati-ninihanga
Para whetau e
Na Turu-whatu te whata a Pouroa i Tahuna-a-tapu
Mou ra, E bine, koi bikaia. koe ki te ahi o te ruhi
Ki ke ahi o te ngenge, ki te ahi o te whakamatiti^†
Mo te kore rawa, E hine.

Another term to express bad weaving is “ngekingeki.” If the io do not lie flat, smooth, and regular (he karawhiti no nga io) this word is used.

Ngaurăpărăpă: A term applied to whakairo kakahu. “Mo te whakairo a te wahine, kaore i mau te whakairo ki runga ki te tuara, ki te kaki ranei o te kakahu, engari ki nga waewae.