Te Rane Higoa.— Maori Plaited Basketry and Plaitwork. 721 
the loose projecting ends being finally cut off. Owing to the narrowing of 
the flax-blade towards the butt-junction, the wefts partake of this narrowing. 
The part of the mat, therefore, near the three-ply-plait border made from 
the butt-tufts is more open than the rest of the mat. Though, in plaiting 
the mat, we have spoken of the “lower” and “ upper" borders, when 
the completed mat is in use it is placed longways and these two borders 
become the sides. 
A variety of mat for very rough use is made with very wide wefts, almost 
the full width of the half-blade of flax. Others, again, instead of having 
butt-tufts for plaiting the beginning, have three or four wefts united by a 
narrow strip of butt, and these undivided portions of butt form the edge. 
Another variety, owing to the flax-leaves being short, has two rows of wefts 
plaited on to the butt-tuft three-ply, beginning as in the basket beginning. 
The wefts on one side are then plaited in the usual way and finished with 
the kopetipeti ending. The wefts on the other side are then dealt with 
similarly. Thus we have a mat about 4ft. wide with the three-ply plait 
of butt-tufts running down the middle. 
The tapora mat is another variety. This mat is used to cover the food 
in the ити (cooking-oven) before the earth is heaped over it to seal up the 
heat of the embers. : 
In the commencement of the beginning of the tapora, method (c) is used. 
A three-ply braid of sufficient length to make a loop is plaited, and the 
butt-tufts of the wefts plaited in as in the taka. The body is plaited in 
checker-work or twilled twos. In the finish, instead of the kopetipeti, a 
three-ply plait is used, as in the case of the ordinary basket. On the left a 
three-ply braid is plaited to form a loop, and then the wefts, both dextral and 
sinistral, are added in and plaited along the border until the right edge is 
reached. The extra length of wefts is carried on in a braid to form another 
loop. The length is shorter than the taka. Thus we have a mat like the 
taka but with a different finish, and with a loop at each corner for use as 
handles in picking the tapora s the hot food when cooked, and for 
1 1 king-house when not in use. 
nies ы кс e Tienga.—The finer mats are made of white and 
dyed wefts of flax or kiekie, and pingao is used in the coloured designs. 
Kiekie mats are whiter than flax, and, if carefully looked after, last longer. 
If bent too sharply in rolling or folding, the wefts are apt to crack, and 
are then liable to wear into holes. These mats are used for sleeping upon, 
and all meeting-houses have a set as part of their furnishing. These are 
kept stored away; but when visitors come the floor is strewn with dried 
rushes or fern, rough mats placed over it, and then an upper covering of 
fine porera makes the reception-house worthy of both guests and hosts. 
On the East Coast these mats are called takapau. Роғега are usually about 
6 ft. 6 in. in length and 4 ft. 6 in. to 10 г от scd vi ran Ч some cases 
i ring the meeting-houses. 
үз! нтэй анн Wee for ae km do not favo the butt ends scraped, 
therefore the whiri beginning of rough mats is inapplicable. The wefts, 
as previously mentioned, are left united at one end by the butt end of the 
