Whare Taka

A small portable house (whare taka) was constructed without supporting posts fixed in the ground. (See fig. 15.) Short supporting posts were lashed to either end of longitudinal beams (hapai) laid on the ground. Other longitudinal beams, also termed hapai, were lashed to the tops of the short posts. Two diagonal crossed braces used on each side to brace the two longitudinal beams and posts together were lashed at the corners and at the point of crossing. The two sides so formed were held upright, and cross pieces were laid across the upper longitudinal beams and lashed. The longitudinal wall plates were laid over the ends of the cross beams. The addition of principal rafters, purlins, thatch rafters, upper ridgepole, and eaves rod follows the method described on page 74.