Те Вахо Hrroa—Maori Plaited Basketry and Plaitwork. 725 
work a row of check strokes is used when changing. If the change is made 
direct there will be a row of alternate twos and threes at the junction. 
ends together at the joins, a series of broad zigzag bands may be continued 
across the entire width of the mat. Within the bands themselves a great 
the same way. Though they do not last so long, they are much warmer 
than flax or kiekie. It is quite a common habit to show the better kiekie 
mais'on the surface in the daytime, and then to reverse the position with 
the warmer and softer paopao mats from beneath when the rugs and blankets 
are spread for sleep. І saw a paopao mat in the North Auckland district 
with an overlaid coloured design, but it was a recent innovation copied 
from the Pacific. It is interesting to find that the same material, Scirpus 
lacustris, is widely used for mat-making by the Indians of the Pacific coast 
of America. 
(2.) Baskets. 
Baskets may be divided into the circular, rimmed type, in which cooked 
food is served, and the satchel type. The satchels vary iv size and material, 
and ure known as kete to the Maori and “ kits " to the European. K 
were used not only as receptacles for containing and carrying material things 
in, but figure in incantations and mystic rites to enclose the miraculous. 
The god Tane, as the personified form of knowledge, successfully ascended 
the process of manufacture 
as now. The incantation recorded by S. Percy Smith runs :— 
Ka whiriwhiri taku үте 
Ka rangaranga 
Ko Tu-tawake taku kete tu. 
The ends of the wefts of my basket are being twisted, 
е The wefts of my basket are being plaited ; 
My basket is Tu-tawake. 
Whiriwhiri, as we shall see, is the process of twisting the scraped ends 
of the wefts into a three-ply plait which is the special beginning of the Maori 
kete. Before dealing with the two main types of basket, mention must 
be made of a rare variety of kete which forms a link with the ancient home 
in the islands. 
