GLOSSARY
A-a
aho:
weft thread in weaving
aho poka:
in weaving a short weft used to shape a garment. A
group of short wefts also known as a poka
aho taahuhu:
the weft thread strung across the weaving pegs
aho tapu:
sacred first line, the casting on thread of the
sampler made during initiation
aho whatu:
end of line of weaving
aonui:
täniko pattern based on the triangle motif (also
called aronui)
arä:
line of weaving or weft
aramoana:
täniko pattern based on continuous chevrons without
serratious
arapaki:
ornamental lattice work between upright slabs of walls
in a meeting house
arawa:
a variety of flax from the Rotoiti area, grows up to
2.5m high and readily yields good, clean muka. It is
also excellent for piupiu.
atiraukawa:
a variety of harakeke fibre of high quality; the young
leaf is bright olive-green which turns a bronze color
when mature
awhirito/matua:
two leaves on either side of rito
awahou:
a short bladed flax variety from the eastern Bay of
Plenty, has a distinctive tip. Its leaves make a
strong kete and very dry and white after being boiled
aute:
paper mulberry tree
H-h
haaro:
to remove the flax fibre from the leaves by cutting
across the under side, then drawing over a makoi
(mussel shell)
haehae:
tool used to mark parallel lines of weaving strips
hapine:
to remove moisture from and to soften weaving material
harakeke:
New Zealand flax
haro:
to scrape the para or green layer off the harakeke to
expose the fibre
here:
cord
hieke:
a cloak or cape with tags of double strips of flax
leaf
hihima:
a korowai cloak with undyed tags
hinaki:
eel trap made from kareao
houhere/
houhi/houi/
hoihere:
hoheria lace bark used to make potae
huaki:
a) korowai which has double taniko boarders along the
sides and bottom and which has horizontal wefts in the
woven foundation
b) a kaitaka cloak with horizontal wefts and double
taniko borders on three sides
hukahuka:
a) tassel from two strands, added to the woven
foundation, rolled tags
b) the tag attachments on a cloak, either rolled cord
or strips of flax leaf
c) thrums, tassels on a garment
huruhika:
superior variety of harakeke
huuhi:
variety of harakeke with dark edges to the leaves
I-I
io:
plaiting strip
K-k
kaikaha:
left over scraps of harakeke
kaka:
hank
kahu/kakahu:
general name for Mäori cloaks
kahu huruhuru: general name for cloaks decorated with feathers
kahu kura:
cloak decorated with red feathers of the parrot
kaitaka:
class of cloaks, which are decorated with taniko
(also known as parawai)
kaitiaki:
guardian
kakahu/korowai:
cloak
kahu tupapaku: any cloak used to drape over a corpse
kanono:
tree, used for dying
kaokao:
class of taniko pattern in which the upturned chevron
is used
also used in tukutuku
karure:
a) to twist two minimum threads to form a double
thread; two ply thread
b) tassel from three threads
c) curled tassels
katau:
first part of the rolling process in which the threads
are rolled forward from the body, down and to the
right of the leg
kati pipipi:
harakeke bird cage
kaupapa:
theme, or the foundation or main surface of a cloak
kawe:
burden carriers
kawe huri:
baby cradle made from untreated kiekie
kawhiu:
diving kete, used to hold paua or fish
kete nikau:
kete made from nikau leaves
kete pai kaka: harakeke kete for carrying clothes
kete whakairo: a kete with coloured decorative geometric patterns
kohua:
boil
kohunga:
superior variety of harakeke with tall but rather
droopy-leafed cultivar that flowers freely, narrow
leaf, olive green in color with edge and keel fading
on the upper side (term is used in the WaikatoManiapoto area); it gives very silky muka and is good
for kete
komiri:
to rub with the fingers
komuru:
rubbing
kono/rourou:
food basket
korowai:
class of cloaks, in which the body ornamentation
consists of pompom tassels, tags and thrums
korowai ngore: korowai with hukahuka and pompoms
kopare:
headband
korari:
flower stalk of the harakeke
kowhai:
yellow
kurupatu:
neck fringe on a cloak.
fringe
In some areas also the hem
M-m
makawerao:
a variety of flax
makomako:
a small tree, the bark of which is used as a dye
mordant
mangu:
black
maramara:
mud used in obtaining a black dye (known also as uku
or paru); is rusty coloured on top and is usually
found in swamps
maro:
an apron like garment
matawai:
a variety of flax
miro:
a) fine thread used as weft material in weaving
b) a rolled cord also the rolling process
Miro is produced in the order of forward and right
forward action followed by backward and leftward
action. In Mäori terminology katau (right) plus maui
(left). To produce karure threads the order of
rolling is reversed to maui followed by katau
motu-o-nui:
a variety of flax with straight green leaves unevenly
tipped with white.
muka:
a) flax fibre, called whitau in some districts
b)
mumu:
prepare the fibre of harakeke
a tukutuku pattern which has a checkerboard appearance
N-n
ngaro:
a variety of flax from the Moutoa Swamp, Foxton, is a
very tall (3m) straight variety with a distinct bronze
tinge and surprisingly silky muka given the size and
stiffness of the leaves. This variety is also good
for piupiu and kete
O-o
oue:
superior variety of harakeke such as kohunga
P-p
paapaka:
pattern based on the basket weave which has a
perpendicular line through each diamond
paatea:
cloak in which the body wefts are horizontal, and the
sides and bottom borders have single taniko bands
paepae hangi:
oven surrounds
paepaeroa:
cloak with vertical wefts in the main body and with
single taniko borders along the sides and bottom
paepearoa-huaki:
cloak with vertical wefts in the body and which
has double taniko borders along the side and both
borders
pa harakeke:
harakeke plantation
paka wha:
outside dried leaves of the harakeke plant
pango:
a variety of flax
paoa:
a variety of flax from Gisborne, with broad yellow
green leaves that are slightly droopy. Unlike many
varieties, paoa flowers very freely. When it dries the
leaf strips are distinctly yellow, which makes this a
valuable variety for kete and whariki.
para:
film or skin
parawai:
Wanganui class name for cloaks decorated with taniko
pare:
head band (also tipare)
Parekoretawa:
a naturally variegated flax variety from the East
Coast, with orange leaf margins and keel. The muka it
produces is shiny but rather brittle
pari:
bodice used during ceremonials
paru:
mud
patikitiki:
term coined for patterns based on single diamonds
papakirango:
East Coast term for patterns based on the basket weave
patu:
beating, a term used in the production of muka
patu muka:
stone pounder used for beating harakeke fibre
patu whitau:
another name for a stone beater
pauku
pukupuku:
war cloak made entirely of the close singlepair twine and worn to
protect against spear thrusts.
pia:
the first order of learners being initiated into
esoteric lore
piupiu:
a) kilt worn by male and female performers during
ceremonial occasions and concerts
b) a waist garment consisting of a free swinging
fringe,
formed by the dried flax whenu
c) a skirt like garment made up of numerous strands of
prepared harakeke
poha:
mutton bird container, harakeke kete which holds a
kelp bag
into which the mutton bird are placed and covered by a
piece
of totara bark
poka:
a dart in clothing used for shaping
pokinikini:
decorative cylindrical tags made from flax strips
naturally
rolled into tubes on drying
pora:
rain cloak or cape
potae taua:
a head covering worn by widows in mourning
pukupuku:
a closely woven flax cloak.
pair twining
technique
Also the close single-
pungarehu:
ashes
putake:
root, or the base of the harakeke
puuahi:
type of dogskin cloak in which the foundation was
covered with strips of
white hairless dogskin. The breed of dog was called
puahi
puwai or tourimu:
fish kete made from titi leaves.
R-r
raapaki:
garment, usually a cloak worn around the waist, also
known as a waist
mat
raranga:
the activity of weaving
raukura:
a clump of white feathers
rau kumara:
taniko and tukutuku pattern composed mainly of
horizontal and vertical lines
raureka:
a yellow dye used on flax fibre is produced from the
bark and or roots. Known as kanono and manono in
other areas
rito:
young shoot
rongo tainui:
superior type of harakeke
rui:
sorting
rukutia:
superior type of harakeke
dextrals:
in plaitwork there are two sets of strips, one set
pointing to the right away from the plaiter (the
dextrals) and another set pointing away from the
plaiter and to the left (sinistrals)
thrum:
a fringe or tassel of short unwoven threads
uku:
rusty-coloured mud used to obtain a black dye
T-t
tae:
dye, juice of plants, colour
takatu:
prepare or get ready.
take:
the stump end of the harakeke leaf
takitahi:
to weave over one, then under one
takikau:
variety of harakeke from which high grade fibre can be
drawn without the use of a shell
takari:
jerking technique used to strip away the harakeke
leaves
takitahi:
the basic over-one under-one stroke used in both
plaitwork and raranga
takatu kiekie: preparing kiekie
take:
the base of the kiekie leaf
taniwha:
a variety of flax which comes from the garden of Sir
Apirana Ngata
tanekaha:
Phyllocladus trichomanoides, a tree, the bark of which
is used to produce a red brown dye used on harakeke
fibre
taniko:
a) a pre-European twining weaving technique
b) finger weaving technique utilised to create
garments
tapeka:
patterned bandolier worn by males as a ceremonial
costume
tapiki:
turn in – a technique to finish the tops of kete or
casting off of mats
tatara:
a type of rain cape
tauira horomata:
taupokipoki:
a pupil under the instruction of an expert
pattern of single alternating triangles
taupora:
hangi whariki
tatua whiri:
braided belts
taniko:
colored geometric finger-woven pattern
taniko dyes:
hinau bark and paru, tanekaha and raureka bark
tanekaha:
celery pine the bark of which is used to produce a tan
colour
tawatawa:
pattern based on vertical and horizontal lines
te tatua:
a variety of flax from Gisborne, which has short
narrow leaves and is good for kete
te tikanga:
the method of preparing kiekie for boiling
tihoi:
extra wefts inserted in the body of the garments to
allow for body fit; also a superior variety of
harakeke
tihore:
to peel, strip or remove the skin, also a superior
variety of harakeke
tipare:
a headband
tohutohutanga: guidance or instruction
toiki/waikawa: large rough baskets or mats
toiiki:
harakeke kete used to store seed potato and to weather
before planting
toe toe:
split or divide the leaf, stripping
torua:
twilled plaiting; the strips pass over two, under two
torehe:
fish trap made from kareao or harakeke
torua whakatakoto:
twilled twos plaiting in horizontal bands
torua whakatu: twilled twos, plaiting in vertical bands
tuitui:
to lace, sew
tukemata:
class of patterns based on serrated chevrons
tukohu:
a basket used for cooking food in boiling pools
tukutuku:
lattice work depicting facets of tikanga and kawa in
superior houses decorative wall panels where
horizontal slats of wood are attached in front of
vertical kakaho stalks with cross and single stitches
arranged with specific patterns
tumatakahuki:
woven brace or stake of arapaki/tukutuku
turuturu:
an upright peg used by weavers to hold their work in
place.
tutu:
tukutuku:
shrub, the bark of which was used as a dye mordant.
ornamental fibre bases lattice-work between the poupou
in the wharenui
torehe:
fish trap, made from harakeke and kareao
turuke:
crayfish pot, made from kareao hoops with manuka
lattice work
tupuna:
ancestors
tuturu:
frame
tukohu:
cooking basket made from toetoe which lasts longer in
mineral water, Rotorua area
W-w
whakakitaratara:
picket top of kete
whakamaroke:
to dry
whakamata:
first line
whanake:
Most commonly used for Mäori craft are the leaves of
the
known as ti kauka or ti kouka among other names
ti ngahere is used for rope making and other purposes.
The fibre is very strong and long lasting in water
than harakeke (feathers and fibre)
whakapa:
preparing for separation of muka
whakapapa:
the sequence in which the coloured strips are laid out
at the commencement of a kete or whariki whakairo.
Also known
whakapoti:
to make a corner
whakarite:
to prepare
whararua:
class of patterns based on two or more diamonds placed
one above the other (literally, two mouths)
whatu:
a pre-European weaving technique, to weave
whatu aho paati:
single pair twining. A weaving technique using a
single pair of cords, for each weft.
whatu aho rua: double pair twining. A weaving technique in which four
cords (two pairs) are used for each weft
whenu:
weaving strip, warp thread
whenu tapiri:
long whenu dyed black
whinau:
tree, Elaeocarpus dentatus, the bark of which was used
as dye, (also known as hinau)
whiri:
plaiting
whiri whenu:
warp twist
whitau:
high grade prepared harakeke fibre
waitumu:
mordant used in dying harakeke