Best. — Maori Forest Lore. 233 



A somewhat similar superstition to the above seems to have obtained 

 in regard to the mandrake-plant. In Lang's " Custom and Myth " we read, 

 " ' In digging the root,' Pliny says, ' there are some ceremonies observed : 

 first, they that go about this work look especially to this — that the wind 

 be not in their face,' " &c. 



When the fibre of flax is prepared for weaving into a fine garment it 

 must be carefully looked after. There are many dangers abroad in con- 

 nection with the art of weaving : for instance, if that fibre be left at any 

 spot where a person might step over it, it is a most reprehensible act of care- 

 lessness, inasmuch as the fibre would never take the dye well if a person 

 had stepped over it. 



When flax-fibre of the better grades is being prepared for the making 

 of garments it is deemed extremely unlucky to throw the refuse of the leaves 

 into a fire, for if that refuse be burned, then all the flax in the grove from 

 which the leaves were taken will be spoiled. They will become kakara 

 ivera — that is, the tops of the leaves will die first, then the whole leaf will 

 become affected and die. I once heard an old Native woman exclaim peev- 

 ishl}^, " Kiia kakara wera katoa taku pa harakeke i te mahi a te wahine ra " 

 (My flax plantation has been ruined by this woman). On inquiry I found 

 that the offending person had begged some of the flax, and had burned the 

 refuse of the leaves after she had taken out the fibre. You will doubtless 

 be relieved to hear that these restrictions, &c., pertain only to the higher- 

 class varieties, those termed ivhitau or harakeke muka, and not to common 

 varieties {harakeke maori). 



The term rnakuhane is applied to short, brash flax-fibre, the same being 

 weak and easily broken : " Ka mahia te muka, na ka kotihe. Na te rnakuhane 

 i loheraka ai.'" 



In former times long trumpets were made of flax by winding the green 

 half-leaves in a spiral manner. They lasted merely so long as the material 

 remained green. They were called tetere. 



Some old Natives state that flax was introduced into New Zealand by 

 the Matatua migrants, w^hich is presumably an error. 



Leaves of the flax-plant, or strips of such leaves, were often used in 

 certain rites of former times. When a person performed the rite known 

 as matapuru, in order to preserve himself from the arts of witchcraft as 

 directed against him by persons known or unknown, he first of all obtained 

 some strips of green flax-leaf, which he tied round his body and limbs, 

 perhaps three or four round each, in divers places. This tying-up process is 

 termed ruruku. He then recited an incantation to avert the shafts of magic. 

 This peculiar usage was often followed by persons visiting a distant village, 

 when doubtful of the disposition or intentions of the people thereof. It 

 would be carried out shortly before the travellers arrived at such village. 



When about to have the wai taua rite performed over them, the warriors 

 of a war-party took off all their clothing, and each man tied a half-blade of 

 flax round his waist. Under this belt in front each man thrust some green 

 branchlets of karamuramu {Coprosma), which thus formed a sort of apron, 

 which was known as a maro taua. The officiating shaman, or priest, then 

 took a strip of green flax-leaf and walked into the water (stream or pond) 

 wherein the rite was to be celebrated. He tied a knot in the middle of the 

 iiax line and placed it in the water. If a stream, then the knot was placed 

 up-stream. The priest stood between the two ends of the flax — i.e., in the 

 bight of the line — while recitinsj his charms or spells. Ka kiia he kuwha 

 tangata taua harakeke (That flax is likened to the thighs of a person). 



