Best. — On Maori Games 45 



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- tour etua, 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 bakahaka ki raro, aue 



Ara ra mai tahi, mai rua, mai toru 



Mai wha, mai rima, mai 0110 



Mai whitu, mai waru, mai iwa 



Mai ma ngahuru 



E ka wbakakopa ona perehina 



Ki te huruhuru tipua — e 



Koi heri, koi bera, maka titi, maka tata 



He maka titi he mea 



A ka turia te tara o Moetara 



Te tara titi touretua. 



Matimati. 



This game is played with the hands alone. Either two or 

 more persons play at it, the players sitting opposite to each 

 other, and playing the game in pairs. A long series of words 

 or short abrupt sentences is repeated by the players very 

 quickly, and this alone is quite difficult in order to avoid 

 making an error. At each signal- word or remark the hands 

 are quickiy moved, each time in a different manner. We 

 give an example of this game below : — 



First cry : " Matimati." (Tbe players here strike the closed hands 

 together.) 



Second cry : " Tahi matimati." (The same action.) 



Third cry: "Rua matimati." (The hands opened, fingers apart, 

 right thumb struck across left.) 



Fourth cry : " Toru matimati." (The right hand clenched and 

 struck on open palm of left hand.) 



Fifth cry : " Wha matimati." (The two hands open, brought to- 

 gether arid fingers interlocked.) 



Sixth cry : " Rima matimati.''' (Thumb of right hand struck be- 

 tween first and second fingers of left hand.) 



Seventh cry : " Ono matimati." (Same as first movement.) 



Eighth cry : " Whitu matimati." (Same as No. 3.) 



Ninth cry : " Waru matimati." (Heel of hands struck together.) 



Tenth cry: " Iwa matimati." (Same as No. 1.) 



Eleventh cry : " Piro matimati." (The open right hand struck on 

 back, and front of open left hand.) 



