i8 Ka Hana Kapa. 



apply what one nia}' call honorific names to Chiefs, or groups of Chiefs, and their 

 descendants of some particular Chief. These were in fact the aristocrats of the tribe, 

 and they usually lived at some certain place where was the meeting place of the trilie 

 on all important occasions, — where was the particular niarac or meeting place where 

 stood the wliarc-kura^ n<liarc-maiir^ or ivliarc-zcananga or Valhalla of the tribe. Now 

 there was such a place in southern Kaipara, at 0-taka-nini, which was the headquarters 

 of the Ngati-whatua tribe, and the chiefs of that place were referred to as, 



" Te ante te whawhea" 

 which maj- be translated as "girded with aute^^ on account, as the tradition saj'S, of 

 the chiefs being of so high a rank that they could afford to use aitic garments. 



There are several references in their old songs to the aiiti\ alwa^-s implying 

 that it was ver}' precious and onlj- to be used by chiefs, — hence a departed one is 

 compared to the ante as evidence of the value in which he (or she) was held. 



The verv large kites of former davs were also made of ante, no doubt because 

 its closeness of texture held the wind better. Hence we find a chief or beloved one 

 referred to as 



"Taku manu aute = ]\Iv ante kite. 

 The ante was also used as a wrapper for articles of value, such as jadeite ornaments; 

 and the same ante was twisted into a thong, which was passed tlirough the handle of 

 a niere^ and thus secured to the owner's wrist. 



The plant itself was still to be found in New Zealand as late as the "thirties" 

 of last centur}', and was seen by the somewhat celebrated botanist, W. Colenso. But 

 even then it was extremely rare, and for 70 or So years it has not been seen at all. 

 I have no knowledge as to how the bark was prepared, but, coming as the Maoris 

 did from eastern Polj-nesia where the manufacture was in dailv practice when they 

 left, no doubt the operation would be the same as in their father-land. I never heard 

 that they used patterns on their ante, in fact, the impression left on mv mind is that 

 it was always pure white and of a filmy texture. 



Now that I know that you are engaged in this subject, I will, as I notice them, 

 preserve some references that are to be found in Maori songs, but at this moment I 

 do not know where to look for them the songs are so numerous. 



I hope some da}^ to see vour work, and I have no doubt that it will be on an 

 equality with the other work of the Museum, and the more so because j-our Hawaiian 

 tapas are the best in Polynesia that I have seen. 



With best wishes for j-our success, and kind regards, 



I remain 



faithfully 3'ours, 



S. Percy Smith. 



