Te Ranet Hrroa.—Maori Plaited Basketry and Plaitwork. 705 
Авт. 45.—Maori Plaited Basketry and Plaitwork : I, Mats, Baskets, and 
Burden-carriers. 
By Те Rawer Hiroa (Р. Н. Воск), р.8.0., M.D. 
[Read before the Auckland Institute, 19th December, 1921; received by Editor, 21st 
December, 1921; issued separately, 18th June, 1923.] 
Plates 78-82. 
INTRODUCTORY. 
WE owe a duty to the Maori race to gather and put on record such 
remnants of information of their ancient arts and crafts as still survive 
the deluge of civilization. To Hamilton, Brigham, and others we owe 
much for the illustrations and general description i in their works, but more 
data as to technique is required to supplement their labours. For the 
comparative study of the Polynesians and their neighbours, the technique 
used in the beginning, finish, and strokes used in the body of the articles 
must supply valuable information and be of high scientific importance. 
From a sentimental point of view, it may interest future generations of 
the ultimate mixed race of New "Zealand to look up the methods and 
doings of their Maori ancestors. From an economie standpoint, Maori 
baskets and mats are so easy to make, and the material so accessible and 
inexpensive, that dwellers remote from towns, and campers by coast and 
forest, might well derive benefit from the study of the technique of the 
Maori art of plaiting. 
The data from which this article is compiled was gathered from the 
Ngati-Pamoana subtribe of the Whanganui Tribe, who dwell at Koriniti 
and Operiki, on the Whanganui River. It was originally intended to make 
however, that it was considered advisable to postpone their consideration 
until more exhaustive inquiries have been made. e variation in names 
and types is shown by the fact that тай s Maori болат contains 
over seventy names for of baskets a 
Basketry and matting are made познает the Maoris by hand from 
strips of unspun material. The small baskets with coloured designs, made 
from prepared flax-fibre twisted on the thigh into warp elements, are a 
modern innovation, derived from the art of weaving cloaks, and do not 
pus to s article. * Basketry,” to quote from Notes and Queries on 
nthr ‘ may be woven (where there are two elements), or plaited 
ee all the elements start and end parallel, sometimes co th 
), or coiled.” Following the Sheldon adopted by the Bureau 
of American oo eet basketry is divided into checker-work, twilled 
and twined work are done on stiffer material, and may be бей in d 
various fish-traps for eels and inanga (adult t of Galaxias attenuatus and 
fry of G. brevipinnis). They are es dealt with here. Coiled basketry, 
wbich is really sewing, is done by sewing or whipping together, in a flat 
or — coil, a continuous foundation of rod, splint, shredded fibre, 
or grass, or by interlocking stitches without foundation. This class of 
work was pe done by the Maori. 
23— Trans. 
