often took part in it. A great many different patterns obtained, some of them being most intricate and difficult to acquire. One pattern is known as “te waka-o-Tama-rereti,” and when made the following lines were repeated:—

Hoea te waka o Tama-rereti
Ki te take harakeke
Hoea!

Another pattern was termed the “Tiremiremi,” and when formed the parts were worked to and fro (me he tangata e ai ana) to the following words:—

E ai ana hoki, e pare he ana
Te waha o to kotore ki rau o te whenua
Ira to puta, te kainga o te ariki
Aua nene, aua rekareka.

Te whare-o-Takoreke, another design, is supposed to represent a house decorated with carvings, while te whare-totokau represents a plain house. Takoreke, above mentioned, was an ancestor of very remote times. He was the husband of Hine-te-iwaiwa, of immortal fame, she who invented the art of weaving, and who is looked upon as the mother and patroness of the ancient whare pora, or school of weaving.

Other designs in whai are: Te ahi i tunua ai te manawa o Nuku-tau-paroro, te ana o Karanga-hape or te ana i Taupo, te whakahua horopito, pae kohu, te tutira o Maui, te rara matai (represents a tree with branches), tu-nui-a-te-ika, te whare pora, komore, tama-a-roa, tamāhine, mouti, wiwirau, whare-puni, tonga-nui.

This game of whai is said to have been invented by Maui-pae, as well as the string game termed “pa-tokotoko.” The originator of tops is said to have been Maui-mua, while the tekateka is ascribed to Maui-tikitiki. Hence it would appear that the Maui family are well represented in the whare tapere.