Thatching the Roof.

General. The kaho rods of the roof framework extend longitudinally between the ridge-poles and the wall plate. The roofing sheets are laid horizontally across the kaho and attached to them by tying with sinnet braid, kaha.

The sheets overlap each other to turn the rain. The thatching commences near the lower ends of the kaho and then works upwards. In this connection there is a fable concerning an argument in ancient times between Te Hakatauira and Te Hakataiti as to how the roof thatching should commence. Te Hakatauira is the personification of youth and inexperience. Compare with the Maori Tauira, a student or neophyte. Te Hakataiti represents age and knowledge. Said Youth: "Let us start from above and work downwards." "Nay," replied Age, "let us commence at the bottom and work upwards." But impetuous Youth, page 19scorning the opinions of Age, commenced his house roof in his own way. When he completed the upper row of sheets, he found that he had to lift up the lower part of the material to enable him to push the upper part of the succeeding layer beneath. Each succeeding layer pushed the preceding one upwards and made the component leaves stick out in an untidy manner. The roof took longer to build. When completed, it was unsightly to behold and—it leaked. But Age, in spite of age, finished long before his youthful opponent. He had no upper layers to raise up out of the way of his work. Each succeeding layer was laid evenly and neatly above the one below. The overlap fell naturally into position. On completion, the roof presented an even slope, and it did not leak. Since then thatching has always commenced from below.

Thatching Implement, Au ato. For attaching the pandanus leaf sheets, an implement named au ato is used. It is made of heart of iron wood, see Fig. 21. The implement figured is 9¾ inches long and the dimensions near the point are shown in Fig. 22.