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The Material Culture of the Cook Islands (Aitutaki)
The Cocoanut Leaf (Nikau) Roof
The Cocoanut Leaf (Nikau) Roof.
Reference to Figs. 3 and 4, show that the manuae or iniki is a horizontal pole attached to the lower ends of the kaho on their outer or upper surface and well to the outer side of the line where the wall plate (rape) meets the framework of the roof. A few inches above the manuae and parallel with it is the first line along which the midrib page 20portions of the nikau sheets are attached to the kaho. The thatcher, armed with sinnet braid, stands inside the house whilst an assistant from outside places the sheets in position. A length of sinnet braid is securely tied to the lower end of the kaho. With the nikau sheet in position, the sinnet is passed up from the inside and over the midrib edge on the right of the kaho. The sinnet is passed diagonally down on the outside of the sheet, pushed through between the leaflets just below the midrib and pulled into the interior on the left of the kaho as shown on the left kaho in Fig. 23.
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Figure 23.
Attaching nikau sheet to kaho.
A.—From the inside. B.—Cross section.
a.—Kaho. b.—Manuae. c.—Nikau midrib. d.—Sinnet lashing.
The sinnet braid is then passed over and through its own loop to make an overhand knot, as on the right kaho in Fig. 23A and 23B. Fig. 23B also shows the reason for the manuae. It throws the lower ends of the sheets out clear of the walls and prevents the rain dripping down them. One sheet may cover two or more kaho, but the procedure on each kaho is identical. The loop the sinnet braid makes on the outside of the kaho is shown in Fig. 24.
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Figure 24.
Outside of Nikau sheet attachment to kaho.
a.—Kaho. c.—Nikau sheet midrib. d.—Sinnet lashing.
The next row of nikau sheets is placed a few inches above the first. The sinnet braid is simply carried up from the lower sheet, passed over the midrib on the right of the kaho, pulled through on the left and tied with an overhand knot as before. This proceeds upwards along the kaho, Fig. 25.
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Figure 25.
Sinnet lashings of nikau sheets.
Where few men are employed, the width of one or two sheets may be worked upwards to the ridge-pole before the next lot is tackled. When the sinnet braid works out, another length is knotted to it.
The sheets along the same row are overlapped where they meet, generally over a kaho. The overlap of the sheets on the outside makes a good thatch.
On the outside, it is only the free ends of the leaflets that are seen, but inside the parallel lines of the midrib edges of the sheet with the narrow strip of plaiting showing between and the regular lashings running up the kaha give a very pleasing effect.