Go to National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa
Volume 31, 1898
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Tatua and Tu, Belts and Girdles.

The generic term for belts is “tatua,” but they are of different kinds. The term for belts made of undressed flax is “tatua whara.” Belts formed of one woven band, whether of dressed or undressed material, are invariably termed “tatua.” Those formed of many plaited strands are known as “tu.” These tu, as known by the present-day Maori, are belts worn by women, whereas men wore the tatua pupara, which comes under the heading of “tatua whara.”

In former times, however, the name “tu” was applied to a belt, girdle, or maro worn by warriors in battle, and also by priests. It is not clear as to whether this tu was simply a waist-belt or an apron, such as the maro. Possibly the term was applied to a combination of the two, inasmuch as the term “tu - maro” is used in connection with certain ceremonies. (Ka mau te tohunga ki tana tu-maro, ka karakia i te karakia makutu mo te hoariri. Katahi ka karakia i te Maro me te Wetewete.)

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Tu karetu: This was a woman's belt, or waist-girdle. It was formed of ten or twelve plaited strands (kawai or kawekawe) of the leaves of the karetu, a sweet-scented grass. The midrib (tuaka) is taken out from each leaf, or the leaves would be too brittle, and break when dry. The plait is usually of the rauru pattern. These plaited strands are only connected at the ends, where they are fastened together by the tau, or cord used for tying the tu round the waist. This cord is of plaited dressed flax-fibre, usually dyed black and red.

Tu-muka: This tu is made of dressed flax-fibre. It is composed of twelve strands, four being white, four black, and four red, the whole forming quite a showy girdle. The ends are plaited together to form the tau, or tying-ends. The strands have a singular appearance. Each strand is composed of two twisted threads (miro), which are twisted together by the rolling process before described, thus forming a karure. The operator then holds tightly the end of one of these threads, and pushes the other back (he mea koneke) until, instead of enveloping the held strand in a long spiral, it appears to be “seized” round it at right angles. (Ko te kawai, he mea parahuhu. Ka miro, a ka parahuhu.)

Tu-maurea: This tu is made from the bright reddish-yellow leaves of the maurea, but had a proportion of flax-fibre mixed with the maurea in order to strengthen it. This and the sweet-scented tu karetu were favourite material for belts with women. The mawrea is not found in Tuhoe Land, but was obtained from the southern end of the Kainga-roa, near Taupo. The karetu has been destroyed by stock about Rua-tahuna, but may be found in the secluded gulches around Lake Waikare-moana, and the wilds of the Parahaki, on the Upper Waiau. A famous saying is, “He maurea kia whiria.” Should a war-party be out on the trail, and encounter a stray person, or come to a village on the line of march, and propose to slay such person or persons, the latter will say, “Kaua e kohiti. te patu. He maurea kia whiria”—that is, “Don't slay us, the common weeds, but go on and secure the maurea.”

We observe a reference to the prized maurea in a lament composed by one Tama-ruru for a dead child:—

Taku piki kotuku-e. Taku mapihi maurea-e
Tena ka mamate ra ki tua o nga roto-e
Ki taku kai kapua nana i ahuru-e
Nana ra i tekateka kia tu ki te riri-na
Taitaia ra e te hune o te toroa
Kia pai at koe ra te takoto i te kino-na.

Another tu was known as tu-wharariki, which is said to have been made pleasant to the young ladies of old by having the sweet-scented kopuru moss inserted therein. Tu were

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also made of the culms of the hangaroa. In ancient days women often had a tu tattooed round their waists.

Tatua: As observed, tatua-whara is a generic term for all belts made of harakeke, or undressed flax.

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Tatua-pupara: This is a man's belt. It is woven about 5 in. or 6 in. wide, of strips of flax about 1/8in. in width, some of which are dyed black. The belt is woven in patterns, usually of a vandyke form. When woven the band is folded or doubled, thus forming a belt of some 2 ½ in or 3 in. in width, the edges being turned in and stitched together, with a cord of dressed flax. The tau, or tying-strings, are then fastened on at each end. This belt was sometimes used to carry small articles in, as Taukata of old carried the famous kao kumara.

Women's belts of undressed flax were woven about 4 in. wide, of black and white strips of flax, in various patterns, the zigzag pattern known as “whakakokikoki” being a favourite one. Two plaited cords (kaha) of dressed fibre dyed black are fastened along the inside of the belt, and at each end thereof are plaited to form the tying-cords in the poutama pattern. Such a belt is termed a “poutama,” from this style of plait.

The belts of dressed flax-fibre, generally black, often worn-by women now, are said to be a modern style, copied from the make of the green-hide saddle-girth. -The following are names of patterns used in the making of belts, baskets, and sleeping - mats: Poutama, whakapatiki, tokarakara, whaka-kaokao, panatahi, whakarau - nikau, whakatutu, tapuwae-kotuku, papaki-ngaro, torua.

Baskets were made of many different shapes, and used for many purposes, in former times. Many are quite handsome, being worked in patterns of different colours—that is, in white, black, and red. A fine bright-coloured red strip for plaiting into baskets is obtained from the midrib (totaled) of the toi palm. Baskets were made of undressed flax, also of undressed strips of leaves of the ti or cabbage-tree.

Kete - kai, or food-baskets: These were roughly woven of broad strips of green flax, and were for temporary use only. They supplied the place of plates and dishes, and were known by many names, such as ‘“paro,” “tonae,” “taparua,” &c.

Putea: This was a generic term for a finer class of baskets, used for holding small articles, such as ornaments, dressed fibre for weaving, &c. There are several different kinds of putea. Some have a flap to them, which covers the, mouth of the basket, and is secured with a string. These are termed “kopa,” and generally have a cord attached for the purpose of carrying them slung over the shoulders. They are made of narrow strips of flax, undressed but dried, some

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of which are dyed black. They are woven in patterns with these black and white strips, and have a very neat appearance.

The pu-kirikiri was a basket used for holding seed kumara when that valuable tuber was being planted. The pu-tutu was used for straining the fruit of the tutu, the basket being lined with the feathery heads of the toetoe, or pampas grass, which retained the huirua, or poisonous property of the berries. The ngehingehi was a long kete used for squeezing the crushed berries of the titoki, for the purpose of expressing the oil. The toiki, or tukohu, was a long kete of a round shape, used to contain food when steeping in water. In former times large toiki were made of pirita, or supplejack, to store seed kumara in when placed in the whata, or storehouse.