PATTERNS FOR BASKETS

Te Ao Hou, Royal Tour 1953, Page 38

PATTERNS FOR BASKETS by W. J. Phillipps Drawings: Lavinia L. D. Buswell Some time before the year 1899, on the suggestion of Augustus Hamilton, a basketry strip of ten patterns was made by Te Ikapuhi of Ngati Pikiao. Augustus Hamilton, in Maori Art, 1899, p. 348, pl. 49, fig. 2, figures this series making acknowledgment of the good offices of Mr C. E. Nelson. Recently we have had the patterns drawn for us by Miss L. L. D. Buswell. With a little re-arrangement it will be seen that the designs fall readily in three groups. The first four in the series belong to an alternating line group. The next three, Nos. 5, 6 and 7, illustrate a group in which the triangle (5), the diamond (6), and the hour glass (7) become dominant features. The related elements of this group are clearly evident. Last are three designs in which a zig-zag line makes its appearance, leading to the sacred step design of Te Arawa, No. 10. A list of the names of the patterns seen in in the accompanying illustrations are: 1, Poutama; 2, Raukumara; 3, Whakatutu; 4, Nihotaniwha; 5, Whakanihoniho; 6, Torakaraka; 7, Purapura-whetu; 8, Whakakanae; 9, Kowhiti-whakakoki; 10, Takitahi-whakakoki. The above names are by no means universal, and many variants of these are known outside Bay of Plenty and Te Arawa. For example, the step design is poutama in many places.