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Methods of Commencement.
(1.) The Closed-loop Commencement.
A strip of flax is taken up and knotted at the butt end with a simple overhand knot (figs. 1, 2). The butt end of the strip is looped over the supporting-strand and the knotted end brought down about 1 in. below it (fig. 3). The double strip is held together at the knot with the left hand. With the right hand the free part of the strip is looped to the right, passed over both strands to the left, passed under both and brought up through the bight or loop on the right (fig. 4). This is drawn tight, and the first closed loop is made (fig. 5). It will be seen that this is but a repetition of the overhand knot, differing only in the knot being made over two strands
Figs. 1–7.—Closed-loop commencement, with overhand knots.
instead of one as in fig. 1. The free end of the netting-strip is passed over the supporting-strand and the middle finger of the left hand hooked under the large loop formed. By pulling with this finger the size of the loop is gauged. If drawn too large the free end of the strip is pulled with the right hand to reduce the size. Thus by pressure with the left middle finger and pulling with the right hand the size of the loop is adjusted. The left thumb and forefinger now come across and grasp the ascending and descending parts of the netting-strip 1 in. below the supporting-strand. Keeping the two together, the right hand makes a bight to the right, passes over both limbs, back under and up through the bight—or, in other words, makes a second over-hand knot. This is drawn tight, and the second closed loop is completed (fig. 6). Reference to the figure shows that from the two short closed loops
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made round the supporting-strand a larger open loop, A, depends. These larger loops are important, as it is to their lower points that the next row of real meshes will be attached by the true netting-knot. The shorter closed loops (fig. 6, 1–2) are made so as to set up these longer loops on the supporting-strand. It is important to have them, as well as the upper closed loops, of even size. On commencing the third closed loop the left forefinger is slipped under the completed lower loop A, and when the netting-strip is carried over the supporting-strand the left middle finger is inserted under the new lower loop B. The middle finger pulls until the loop B is of the same length as A. The left forefinger is slipped out of loop A, and with the thumb grasps the double strand, 3, 1 in. below the supporting-strand, whilst the right hand makes the overhand knot. In this way the third closed loop, 3, is formed and the second lower loop, B. The process is continued in this manner until the requisite number of closed loops are made, thirty-two being a convenient number for the smaller bag-nets. With thirty-two closed loops there will be thirty-one lower loops; but when the net comes to be joined at the end of the process a thirty-second longer loop will be formed between the first and last closed loops.
Figs. 8–10.—Closed-loop commencement, with clove hitches.
The netting works from left to right along the supporting-strand, and ever the left forefinger slips along into the completed lower loop and the middle finger gauges the new loop. The middle finger may be used in the completed loop and the new loop gauged with the ring-finger. In this case the forefinger is free to come over and hold the double strip for the closed upper loop ere the overhand knot is tied. The thirty-second closed loop having been made, the set is complete. The netting-strip now turns back to commence the second row on the lower points of the lower loops (fig. 7).
As a variation to this method, in the Te Kaha district the upper closed loops are tied with a clove hitch instead of an overhand knot. The process is quite simple. The netting-strip having been looped over the supporting-strand, the double strip is brought together 1 in. below and held together as before with the left forefinger and thumb. The free part of the strip is passed over the ascending limb to the left, brought back under it and between the limbs to form the half-hitch, as in fig. 8. A similar half-hitch is made immediately below the first, and a clove hitch results, as in fig. 9. This is continued throughout (fig. 10). The advantage is that when drawn tight a clove hitch will not slip like an overhand knot. The overhand knot, however, is made more quickly; and in this commencement any slight slipping does not matter much.
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In the figures, the closed loops on the supporting-strand are shown as spaced apart for the sake of clearness. In actual netting the work lies horizontally, and from pulling on the loops to gauge their size the loops are stretched and crowded close together on the supporting-strand (see Plate 105, fig. 2).
(2.) The Clove-hitch Commencement.
In the variation of the previous method the closed loops are made with a clove hitch. In this method the closed loops are not used, but the large loops are fixed directly to the supporting-strand by a series of clove hitches. The only name I could get for a clove hitch was here poito taruke (the tie of the float of the crayfish-pot). The floats of houama (Entelea arborescens) are tied with this knot to the long rope marking where the crayfish-pot (taruke) has been put down.
The netting-strip is passed round the supporting-strand, brought over the ascending strip from the left, looped over the supporting-strand again on the right, and the free end of the strip brought up through the loop, as
Fig. 11.—Clove-hitch commencement.
in fig. 11. In this manner the loops are attached directly to the supporting-strand. The loops between the clove hitches are gauged as before with the left fingers. The required number of loops are set up, and then the netting proceeds as in method (1). When the net is completed the supporting-strand is cut and removed. This releases the clove hitches, which open out to form the free upper angles of the first row of meshes.
(3.) The Double-mesh Commencement.
The butt-end of the first netting-strip is fixed to the supporting-strand by a closed loop with an overhand knot, as in fig. 5. The netting-strip is then looped over the supporting-strand, and the loop pulled with the left middle finger until it is judged long enough to make two full meshes. Keeping the netting-strip taut with the right hand, bring it against the left limb of the loop at the lower end of the upper third at the point A in fig. 12. Grasp the two elements at this point with the left thumb and forefinger, and with the right hand make an overhand knot as in the closed-loop commencement. Still keeping the loop stretched with the left middle finger, bring the netting-strip against the right limb of the loop at the lower end of the middle third at the point B in fig. 13. Again tie an overhand knot, and the long loop is divided into two complete meshes—1 and 2 in fig. 14. The netting-strip is again carried over the supporting-strand and the tip of the left ring-finger is inserted under the new loop. The left middle finger, still hooked in the lower part of mesh 2, stretches the original first loop, whilst the ring-finger pulls on the new loop
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until the lower ends of both coincide. The netting-strip is brought against the left limb of the loop—i.e., against the side of mesh 1 at A1, on the same level as point A, and an overhand knot is made. This strip is then carried down against the right limb of the loop at B2 on the same level as B, and an overhand knot made. The second loop is thus divided into two complete meshes. This process is continued until the requisite number of meshes have been set up on the supporting-strand.
This is a quick, easy way of commencing a net: When the first long loop is stretched, divide it with the eye into three equal parts. The first knot is tied at the junction of the upper two parts, and the second at the
Figs. 12–14.—Double-mesh commencement.
junction of the lower two. This ensures meshes of even size. In the subsequent long loops see that the lower ends are brought to the same level, and keep the same lines of knots, A and B, accurately on their respective levels. By attention to these details an even mesh will be maintained throughout.
(4.) The Double-strip Commencement.
This method was shown me by Iehu Nukunuku, of Waiapu, one of the very few surviving musicians who can play the Maori flute. I had mastered the above three methods, and was confident that I had exhausted all local methods of commencement. Whilst practising the closed-loop method one early morning, the dreamy gaze of the musician idly swept my way. Suddenly his eyes became alert. “Ah,” said he, treating me politely as a master-craftsman, “You commence that way !” “Yes,” I affirmed, with the conscious pride of one who has missed nothing. “Oh,” said he, “I do it this way.” Thereupon he picked up two strips of flax, knotted the butt ends together, and demonstrated the double-strip commencement shown in the accompanying figures.
In fig. 15, the upper strip, 1, is looped over the supporting-strand at A and looped again at B. The lower strip, 2, is passed over the loop between A and B. The mesh so formed, x, is stretched to the right size by the left middle finger, the free end of strip 1 is held with the right hand, and the
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free end of strip 2 is held with the left thumb and forefinger. The two strips are pulled or slackened until the mesh x is of the right size. The part where the two strips cross is seized with the left thumb and forefinger, and the right makes a netting-knot with strip 2, as in fig. 16. This completes the first mesh, x. Strip 1 is now carried over the supporting-strand at C (fig. 17). It picks up strip 2 in the loop. Inserting the left ring-finger in the loop y, and manipulating the two strips with the other available fingers of the two hands, the two loops b and y are gauged to correspond in size to a and x. The free end of strip 1 is then twisted round the left little finger to keep loop b in position. The point where strip 2 crosses the lower part of loop b is seized with the left thumb and forefinger, and the released right hand ties strip 2 in a netting-knot at this point. The netting-knot will be described in the next paragraph. This procedure is carried on. When the upper loop is gauged, strip 1 is kept taut by twisting it round the
Figs. 15–17.—Double-strip commencement.
left little finger. This releases the right hand, which now takes the free end of strip 2 from the left forefinger and thumb. The lower loop is now gauged with the left ring-finger, the left middle finger keeping the previously-completed mesh stretched so as to give the lower level for the new lower loop. This being gauged, the released left forefinger and thumb seize the crossing of the two strips, whilst the right hand makes the netting-knot with strip 2. Strip 1 is then released from the left little finger and looped over the supporting-strand, and the same process continued. In this method
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a single row of complete meshes is attached directly to the supporting-strand. The method is awkward, and is worse than it reads. Practice makes perfect, no doubt, and in the fingers of Iehu Nukunuku it appeared neat and easy. I had asked my previous informants if there were any other methods, and had been assured that there were none to their knowledge. Possibly if one practised in the early morning with aged musicians or craftsmen looking on, other methods or variations might be resurrected. Therefore it were better to put on record what methods we have than wait for others that we know not of.