![Thumbnail: [Volume 34, 1901 page 44]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_34/thumbnails/rsnz_34_00_0075_0044_ac_02.gif)
Titi-Touretua.
Here is another game of the whare tapere of old. The titi-touretua is played by six or more persons, who sit in a circle a little distance apart from each other. Four sticks, some 2 ft. or 2½ ft. in length, are used. These are sometimes quaintly carved. Four of the players have each a stick, held vertically before him in the right hand. In time to the accompanying song they swing these sticks up and down, and, at a certain word in the song, the sticks are thrown to others across the circle and dexterously caught. The sticks are thrown simultaneously, and must not be allowed to strike each other in their flight. Every movement is performed at the proper time, which is given by the song sung by the
![Thumbnail: [Volume 34, 1901 page 45]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_34/thumbnails/rsnz_34_00_0076_0045_ac_02.gif)
players. One movement is to throw the sticks round the circle of players. At other times, instead of swinging or throwing them, they must be lowered until the lower end rests upon the floor, the song giving the cue for all these different motions. At other times the sticks are thrown across the circle, but always they must be caught by the proper person. It is quite interesting to watch. The players sometimes kneel instead of sitting at this game, and the former is probably the correct attitude.
The following is a ngari titi-touretua, or time-giving song or chaunt, sung by the players of the above game:—
Titi torea
Whakanoho ke te kupu o te karakia
Ko ana titapu hoki te kapu
Ko te ra to hoki ka riakina ki runga
Ka hakahaka ki raro, aue
Ara ra mai tahi, mai rua, mai toru
Mai wha, mai rima, mai ono
Mai whitu, mai waru, mai iwa
Mai ma ngahuru
E ka whakakopa ona perehina
Ki te huruhuru tipua—e
Koi heri, koi hera, maka titi, maka tata
He maka titi he mea
A ka turia te tara o Moetara
Te tara titi touretua.