Best. — Clothing of the Ancient Maori. 649 



also made of the culms of the Jiangaroa. In ancient days 

 women often had a tio tattooed round theii- waists. 



Tatua : As observed, tatua-iuhara is a generic term for all 

 belts made of harakeke, or undressed flax. 



Tatua-pupara : This is a man's belt. It is woven about 

 5 in. or Gin. wide, of strips of flax about |-in. in width, some of 

 which are dyed black. The belt is woven m patterns, usually 

 of a Vandyke form. When woven the band is folded or 

 doubled, thus forming a belt of some 2^ in. or Sin. in width, 

 the edges being turned in and stitched together with a cord of 

 dressed flax. The tati, or tying-strings, are then fastened on 

 at each end. This belt was sometimes used to carry small 

 articles in, as Taukata of old carried the famous kao kumara. 



Women's belts of undressed flax were woven about 4 in. 

 wide, of black and white strips of flax, in various patterns, 

 the zigzag pattern known as " ivhakakokikoki " being a 

 favourite one. Two plaited cords (kaha) of dressed fibre 

 dyed black are fastened along the inside of the belt, and at 

 each end thereof are plaited to form the tying-cords in the 

 poutama pattern. Such a belt is termed a " poutama," from 

 this style of plait. 



The belts of dressed flax-fibre, generally black, often worn 

 by women now, are said to be a modern style, copied from 

 the make of the green-hide saddle-girth. The following are 

 names of patterns used in the making of belts, baskets, and 

 sleeping - mats : Poutama, tvhakapatiki, tokarakara, whaka- 

 kaokao, ijanatahi, ivhakarau - nikau, ivhakattUu, tapuwae-ko- 

 htku, papaki-ngaro, torua. 



Baskets were made of many different shapes, and used for 

 many purposes, in former times. Many are quite handsome, 

 being worked in patterns of difi'erent colours — that is, in 

 white, black, and red. A fine bright-coloured red strip for 

 plaiting into baskets is obtained from the midrib (tuaka) of 

 the toi palm. Baskets were made of undressed flax, also of 

 undressed strips of leaves of the ti or cabbage-tree. 



Kete-kai, or food-baskets: These were roughly woven of 

 broad strips of green flax, and were for temporary use only. 

 They supplied the place of plates and dishes, and were known 

 by many names, such as '" paro," " tonae," " taparua," &c. 



Pictea : This was a generic term for a finer class of 

 baskets, used for holding small articles, such as ornaments, 

 dressed fibre for weaving, &c. There are several different 

 kinds of p)utea. Some have a flap to them, which covers the 

 mouth of the basket, and is secured with a string. These 

 are termed " kopa," and generally have a cord attached for 

 the purpose of carrying them slung over the shoulders. They 

 are made of narrow strips of flax, undressed but dried, some 



