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The Material Culture of the Cook Islands (Aitutaki)

The Framework

The Framework.

The house is rectangular, with well-defined side walls and a gable roof.

The framework of a well-built dwelling house consists of nine different elements:—

(1.)The posts supporting the ridge-pole, pou tahuhu or pou metua.

There are two, one at either end. The best wood is tamanu, but cocoanut wood, hau, and others may be used. The lower ends are sunk into the ground, whilst the upper end may be cut concave to take the ridge-pole or a natural fork may be retained. The page 4height above ground varies from about 11 feet upwards. It depends on the desired pitch of the roof. The higher the elevation the longer the thatch material lasts. The higher the pitch, the more roofing material is required. Between these two factors, the builder strikes his balance. For the ordinary-sized house, a post at either end was quite sufficient. For the longer houses used in ancient times as places of amusement, additional posts must have been used. The cross-beam, with a vertical support between it and the ridge-pole, that is now used in the large fruit sheds seems to be a modern innovation. As regards carving and trimming, no information was obtained.

(2.)Ridge-pole, tahuhu.

The name is the same as the Maori, tahuhu. It was in one piece, and preferably of tamanu timber. For the houses seen, a stout round pole was used that did not require any of the elaborate dubbing out seen in Maori houses.

(3.)Corner and side-posts, pou turuturu.

These were sunk in at the four corners and at intervals along the sides to support the wall plates. They were about 6 feet above the ground. They were cut with a groove on the upper end or retained a natural fork.

(4.)Wall plate, rape.

The rape is a stout pole that is lashed to the tops of the pou turuturu. There is one on either side and one at each end.

Figure 3.House framework (from side.)

Figure 3.
House framework (from side.)

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With the above four sets of elements in position, the main part of the framework is defined. The other five sets are for supporting the thatched roof, and are mentioned in the order in which they are attached. See Figs. 3 and 4. Just a few oka and kaho are shown to give their relative positions.

(5.)Rafters, oka.

The rafters stretch between the ridge-pole and wall plate with sufficient length to cross each other above the ridge-pole and so allow being lashed together with sinnet. They are thus in pairs. They are simple unworked poles about 10 inches in circumference and are placed about 4 feet 2 inches apart. In many of the more recently-built houses, the oka are dispensed with.

(6.)Cross pieces, tarawa.

Across the oka rafters are lashed a number of horizontal poles termed tarawa. These are to give support to the next set of elements, the kaho.

(7.)Kaho.

Running at right angles to the cross pieces to which they are lashed, are a number of finer poles. They are about 4½ inches in circumference and are spaced about 1 foot 7 inches apart. They are arranged in pairs from either side to cross above the ridge-pole, where they are lashed together. The projecting ends above are left long enough to form a fork for the support of the next element. At the lower end they project well beyond the wall plate or rape.

Figure 4.House framework (end.)

Figure 4.
House framework (end.)

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(8.)Second ridge-pole, taorangi or takiri kaho.

This is a long pole running horizontally above the ridge-pole and supported by the upper forks of the kaho mentioned above.

(9.)Manuae or Iniki.

The last element is a horizontal pole on either side fastened to the lower end of the kaho on their upper or outer side. They are thus to the outer side of the wall plate.

In rough temporary houses used as shelters whilst working in the cultivations or camping out on the islands in the lagoon the oka, tarawa and manuae elements are dispensed with. In the nikau house on Maina Island, shown in Fig. 5, the measurements are:—

Length of House 15ft.
Width of House 6ft. 3in.
Height to ridge-pole 7ft. 6in.
Height of side posts 2ft. 6in.

There was one extra side post between the corner posts and live kaho, including the two end ones. Both the sides and ends were open.

Figure 5.Nikau roof house on Maina.

Figure 5.
Nikau roof house on Maina.