Best. — Clothing of the Ancient Maori. 647 



Maro-wacro : This was a prized maro worn by chiefs only, 

 and was made as a kahii-ivaero, being adorned with dogs' 

 tails. 



Maro kuta : This was a small single 7naro, worn by girls, 

 the tail or cord being fastened to the belt behind. The maro 

 kuta was made of a species of sedge or coarse swamp-grass 

 known as " kiitakuta," or "jjaopao." (He mea takiri, ka paiere- 

 tia, ka mahia hai maro mo nga wahine.) Two aho, or cross- 

 threads, were woven across the coarse fibrous paopao to bind 

 same, the ends hanging loosely down, as in a piupiu. 



Maro-huka : This is said to have been a maro made of flax- 

 fibre. It appears to have been worn only by priests, or during 

 certain rites or ceremonies, as was also the case with tu-hou. 

 The maro-huka was worn during the war-dance, and was 

 donned by a priest when about to engage in some sacred task. 

 {'' Ka hidhuiviai nga tohunga ki te tuahu ki te inoi, ka tatua ki 

 te tu-hou, ka maro-huka, ka whakatairangi, ka pakauroha nga 

 ringa.") 



Tu-hou, or maro-tuhou : This appears to have been a rude 

 maro of leaves of the karamuramu, or other shrubs. It was 

 worn by priests during ceremonies of various kinds. It was 

 also known as a " maro-taua." 



Maro-purua is a term used to denote a married woman. 



Tau-maro : This was not a woven maro, but merely a 

 bunch of flax-tow or refuse Qnmgahunga) worn by young 

 girls {hai huna i te aroaro). Boys wore nothing; not even, 

 the proverbial postage-stamp, as a rule. 



The term " maro " is also applied to certain karakia, or in- 

 vocations, used in war, such as Te Maro-o-zohakatau. 



Tatua and Tu, Belts and Girdles. 



The generic term for belts is " tatua," but they are of dif- 

 ferent kinds. The term for belts made of undressed flax is 

 " tatzia ivhara." Belts formed of one woven band, whether of 

 dressed or undressed material, are invariably termed " tatua." 

 Those formed of many plaited strands are known as " tu." 

 These tii, as known by the present-day Maori, are belts worn 

 by women, whereas men wore the tatua pupara, which comes 

 under the heading of " tatua ivhara." 



In former times, however, the name " tu " was applied to a 

 belt, girdle, or maro worn by warriors in battle, and also by 

 priests. It is not clear as to whether this tu was simply 

 a waist-belt or an'apron such as the inaro. Possibly the term 

 was applied to a combination of the two, inasmuch as the 

 term '' tu - maro" is used in connection with certain cere- 

 monies. {Ka mau te tohunga ki tana ttc-maro, ka karakia i te 

 karakia mahitu mo te hoariri. Katahi ka karakia i te Maro 

 me te Weteioete.) - 



