Tr Raner Hrroa.—Maori Plaited Basketry and Plaitwork. 707 
PLANTS USED. 
In plaiting it is in almost all cases the leaves of the plants that are 
used, and the plants selected are therefore those with long leaves to pro- 
vide suitable wefts. In one case the stem is used, and in another the bark. 
For the description of the parts of the plants used we have quoted freely 
from Cheeseman’s Manual of the New Zeala lora. 
Phormium tenax Pial Zealand Flax ; Harakeke).—Flax forms the chief 
material used in all forms of plaiting and weaving. It grows abundantly 
throughout both Islands, especially in lowland swamps and alluvial ground. 
p the Whanganui River it was introduced and cultivated, so that each 
village had its pa harakeke, or flax-garden. Even in villages close to flax 
swamps, flax was grown close to the houses for immediate use. The Maori 
recognize several varieties with different quality of leaf and dint 
strength of fibre. The famous katiraukawa, whose fibre was so sought after 
for weaving, is too thick and strong in the leaf for baskets and mats. 
Whilst it can be so used, other varieties with less fibre and a softer blade 
are preferred. 
e leaves grow from 3 ft. to 9 ft. long or more, and the blades are 
2in. to біп. wide, keeled, and the margins and midrib bordered with a 
red or orange line. The upper or inner surface поко) is ын green, and 
the lower or outer (tuara) of a paler sea-green colour. the two 
es maintain their difference in colour, a upper е brighter and 
r butt. 
For ease of description, later on we Ра p to the line of жаза 
of the two half-blades as,the “ butt-jun 
Phormium Cookianum T Wharariki). сну species is much smaller than 
P. tenax. It contains little fibre, and is softer and is less rigid. The leaves 
are 2 ft. to 5ft. long, lin. to 24 in. broad, pale green, seldom glaucous, 
and the margins and midrib seldom bordered with a coloured line. At 
grows throughout the North Island, and was the only original species 
growing up the Whanganui, where it grew plantifully about the cliffs and 
steep slopes of the river. On account of its softness and ease of manipula- 
tion it was considered by the Whanganui people to be the best material 
for plaiting purposes, though the fibre was useless for weavin m 
undant, have imported it v lus enm where it is cultivated for 
plaiting baskets, pee and burd 
ksii (Kiekie) — e M was acquainted with Frey- 
Potts in the чету islands, where those branches of the Polynesians who 
drop the k irae n their speech call it 4eie. pen there and here the fine 
roots are used in twined weaving; but with the Maori the leaves are 
largely used for the [un гла of mats, e а and belts. The kiekie grows 
abundantly throughout the North Island and parts of the South, where 
it climbs up forest-trees or scrambles over rock and prostrate tree-trunks, 
The leaves are numerous towards the tips of the branches. They are long 
and narrow (12 ft. to 3 ft. long, in. to lin. broad), sharply pointed, with 
a broad sheath at the base, concave, tough, leathery, and with the mar- 
gins and midrib serrated with sharp spines. The leaves are used in making 
rough rain-cloaks. 
23* 
