Ethnology of Tongareva

Plate 3.—Sitting Mat and Tupono Basket

page 224

Plate 3.—Sitting Mat and Tupono Basket.

A, B, Sitting mat (tapakau) made of two leaflet-bearing strips torn from opposite sides of leaf (C3271). A, upper surface: dextral strip has been placed above sinistral strip; stroke is a twilled-two in horizontal rows with closed leaflets; side margins formed by direct bend without turning surface, and upper finishing edge shows three-ply braid which commenced on right; knot of braid tail is shown on upper left corner where it has been pushed through from other side; lower edge shows twisting forward of leaflets under leaflets in front. B, under surface: lower edge shows two distinct midrib strips and also lower ends of extra leaflets which have been introduced to fill wide inter-weft spaces; upper edge shows long course of set of wefts which have been bent over to form outer plies as braid is plaited from other surface; free braid is shown in right upper corner where it is pushed through to lock knotted end on other side; lower edge, 29 inches; upper edge, 23 inches; depth in middle, 14.5 inches. C, Basket (tupono) of coconut leaf (C3274) with two-strip twisted rim, twilled-two plait in horizontal rows with closed leaflets, and two-course braided bottom with two free tails: commencement of free tails shows at each bottom corner, pushed through to inside; curved rim length, 38.5 inches; bottom length, 27.5 inches; side lengths, 13.5 inches; middle depth, 15.5 inches.