Figure 66.—Leaf oven cover (tau veve):

two leaves are used together as a single element to thicken the cover. In the figure they are shown as single leaves for clearness. a, One set of two or even three leaves is used as the central foundation indicated by the dotted outline. With a pointed stick a hole is made through the leaves towards the outer edge, and the stalks of two leaves (1) are passed through. A second hole is pierced in such a position that it passes through the edges of the first added pair as well as through the foundation leaves below, and the stalks of a second pair (2) passed through. A third (3) and fourth pair (4) are added in a similar manner to the second so that the four pairs are evenly distributed around the foundation leaves. b, Under surface. The leaves are turned over to expose the under foundation leaves with stalks of the four pairs projecting through. c, Under surface. A pair of stalks (1) is brought to the inner side of a neighboring pair (2) and twisted around it twice from within out. The stalks around which the twists have been made are bent down to the inner side of the next pair (3) and twisted around it in a similar manner. The third pair follows a similar technique with regard to the fourth pair (4). As the first pair has already been bent down, the fourth pair must be passed under it and twisted twice around it leaving the stalk ends to the outer side. After each twisting of the stalks, the stalk ends are left to the outer side so that the bending down of the next pair fixes them effectively to the foundation leaves, while the twisting of the last pair locks them in position. The process is continued by turning the leaves over to expose the upper surface when the stalks of another set are pushed through holes made through the first set of four pairs. The circumference being greater, more leaves are used in the second set. When the circuit is completed, the leaves are turned over and the stalks fixed on the under surface in the same manner as in the first set. Three or four sets of leaves form a sufficiently large cover. This particular form of tau veve cover is also called a tui veve (tui, to sew together).