The Material Culture of the Cook Islands (Aitutaki)
The Gable-Ends, Tara
The Gable-Ends, Tara.
The roof (tua) having been completed, the triangular space at the gable-ends, between the roof on either side and the wall plate (rape) has to be filled in. Sheets of nikau or rau are used as in the case of the roof. The framework to which they are attached is shown in Fig. 35 (A). There are two oka elements, A., just to the inner side of the end wall plate or rape, B. From the inner side of the oka to the outer side of the wall plate, a number of vertical poles or kaho, C., are attached. From the vertical section (B.) it will be seen that there is a slight slant downwards and outwards. The sheets are attached to the kaho with sinnet braid in an exactly similar manner to the sheets of the roof.
The thatching therefore commences on the kautoki and then works up on the kaho until the gable-end is filled in as shown in Fig. 2. The lengths of the sheets are arranged to fit in with the narrowing rows, and at the top there may be a small open space that is useful for ventilation. Where the rows of thatch sheets are close together, any space between the edges of the end sheets and the slope of the sides of the roof may be disregarded. In some cases where page 31the rows of thatch are wider apart, sheets of cocoanut leaves may be run diagonally with the midrib against the side roof to block the openings.
The outward projection of the lower part of the tara is called poho tara. The part of the side roof which projects beyond the wall plate to form eaves is called kaponga in Raratonga.