page 81

Whare Tuku Whakararo

A low house without supporting posts (whare tuku whakararo, house let down) was, as the name implies, let down to the ground by doing away with the supporting posts (pou), longitudinal beams (hapai), crossbeams (vae), and wall plate (kaupapa). Thus the principal rafters rested directly on the ground and formed a roof without walls. The house (fig. 16) was built for use in the hurricane season. As it had no side walls, the wind could not get under the roof to blow it away. The framework technique follows that already described.