656 Transactions . — Miscellaneous . 



We will now conclude by giving some of the rules pertain- 

 ing to the art of the tvhare pora, and explain the various aitua 

 (evil omens) that were liable to overtake those who did not 

 strictly adhere to such rules. 



The finer class of garments (kakahu) and the ornamental 

 taniko thereof may be woven during the day-time only. So 

 soon as the sun sets the weaver must release the right-hand 

 turuturu and roll up or cover her work until the next day. 

 Common garments (jmiveru) may be woven at night, but not 

 the high-class articles. A weaver may, however, work at pre- 

 paring the 10, aho, or Imkalmka at night. Should -the above 

 rule be broken the weaver will lose all knowledge of her art ; 

 the shades of night will deprive her of such. Should she 

 weave such a garment at night, the same is a tatai mate, an 

 evil omen, and a tupo. 



AroakajM : When asleep, should a weaver, or her husband, 

 dream that she sees a garment suspended before her (as on 

 turuttiru), it is the sleeper's spirit (wavnia) that discloses such 

 to her, as a token of misfortune to come. It is the impending 

 misfortune that sends notice of its coming. This is known 

 as an aroakapa. It is useless trying to escape from this 

 aihta. 



When engaged in weaving, should a stranger approach the 

 weaving-house the weavers will cry him welcome, but at the 

 same time each grasps the right-hand tunitum (the sacred 

 one), and lays it down, or leaves it at an angle across her work. 

 If left standing it would mean an aroakapa, and an evil omen 

 for the offending weaver or her friends. If the guest is from 

 afar the omen assumes an appalling magnitude. In this latter 

 case the garment is taken off the turuturu and put aside, care- 

 fully covered, otherwise the aroakaj^a will be on hand. If it 

 is a large party that arrives, and they enter the house where 

 weaving is going on, the work is rolled up and placed aside. 

 If only one or two people known to the weavers, then the 

 women will remain seated by their work, and join in the con- 

 versation. But the sacred turuturu are still lying on the 

 ground, and no weaving is done. If a stranger approaches 

 such a house, and sees the turuturu are standing, he at once 

 leaves or proceeds on his way. He knows that he has come 

 unawares upon the weavers, and has brought disaster upon 

 them. It is therefore a good place to migrate from. 



When I paid a visit to Te Wai-o-hine, a famous weaver of 

 Eua-tahuna who has made many old-time articles for me, as 

 I entered the whare where she was weaving a koroioai she 

 seized the sacred turut^iru and leaned it against the wall at 

 an angle of 45°, thus slacking the taivhiu, but not covering or 

 removing the garment, as she would have done had I been a 



