Figure 256.—Plaited designs on sleeping mats, Aitutaki. a, viti motif. b, ni'oni'o (toothed). c: 1, katikativai; 2, 'etu matariki (little-eyed stars); 3, mata 'a (four eyes). d: 1, pi'a rikiriki (little box-in check); 2, pi'a rikiriki (little box-in twill); 3, 'onu (turtle). e, top, tapuae mokora (duck's feet); bottom, matautua. f, matakeke (teeth of saw). g, matakere, a favorite design, h, full border design with middle main motif of oblique squares formed by three white twilled-threes termed puna rua, a row of white checks (ara maori) on either side, followed by rows of twilled twos (ara veri) and marginal rows in check to fix colored strips. i, karamarama 'akatu (upright windows). j, paka 'onu (turtle's shell). k, karamarama 'akatakoto (horizontal window). l, ta'iri'iri (fan). m, ran nikau in two forms (coconut leaf). n, ran na'e (leaf of fern, Marattia sp.). o, va'anga marama (half moon). p, pupu (bunched wefts). q, maire (leaf of maire fern). r, names taken from suits on playing cards: 1, peti (spade); 2, ata (heart).
Note: the designs were produced by variations in plaiting technique and the names given from some resemblance to natural objects. In some, the design is old as in f, but is given a modern name such as "teeth of a saw" and so with i and j– which are named after the windows of a church. The fan motif (l) may have been copied from a foreign fan and the modern motifs in r were certainly an attempt to represent in straight lines the curved spade and heart suits on playing cards.