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Games and Pastimes of the Maori

Whai or Cat's Cradle

Whai or Cat's Cradle

This far-spread pastime was a pre-European usage in Maoriland, as also were kites, tops and hoops. It is generally termed whai, in full Te whai wawewawe a Maui, occasionally maui and huhi. In myth its origin is accredited to Maui, one of the old heroes, demigods, or personifications beloved of the Maori, and so it is sometimes called by his name. The forming of the various designs, of which there were many, provided amusement for young folks during long winter nights, hence this game was much practised in former times. Nor were adults averse to joining in the game, which has now, however, been almost forgotten, and is known by few. The word whai is sometimes employed as a verb, as in the expression "Whaia ano." Another such expression is "Whainga ano" which has a modern sound by no means pleasing. In these words is a player requested to re-form a design, to make it again.

Of this amusement, Dieffenbach writes:—"In the game of maui they are great proficients. This is a game like that called cat's cradle in Europe, and consists of very complicated and perplexing puzzles with a cord tied together at the ends. It seems to be intimately connected with their ancient traditions, and, in the different figures which the cord is made to assume whilst held on both hands, the outlines of their different varieties of houses, canoes, or figures of men and women are imagined to be represented."

The Rev. R. Taylor gives the following in Te Ika a Maui:—"Cat's cradles is a game very similar to ours, but the cord is made to assume page 75 Fig. 11 A Figure in Maori Cat's Cradle. Dominion Museum Photo many more forms, and these are said to be different scenes in their mythology, such as Hine-nui-te-po bringing forth her progeny, Maru and the gods, Maui fishing up the land; men, canoes, houses, etc., are represented. Some state that Maui invented this game."

Thomson, in his Story of New Zealand, writes:—"Maui is a game played exactly like what in England children call cat's cradle. Two parties play at it, and in the shapes assumed by the strings the players detect houses, canoes, and men. Maui is mentioned in ancient songs, and was invented by the deified man whose name it bears." But Maui was no deified man.

In the Journal of the Polynesian Society, Vol. 7, p. 61, is the following:—"The terms ti, miri and kuna are all used in the games of whai or cat's cradle, which were wonderfully complicated as used by the Polynesians, and had stories and songs connected with them. A legend states that it was from the 'Realm of Miru' that the knowledge of these games was obtained."

One figure of whai showed the ascent of Tawhaki and Karihi to the heavens. This was a large pattern; when set up out of doors, on the plaza, it was made about three yards long. One person at each end to make the design, then one or two manipulated the central page 76 Fig. 12 Recalling Pastimes of the Past. Paitini and Makurata of Ruatahuna recall Nga Mahi a te Rehia Dominion Museum Photos page 77parts and caused them to show different stages of progress, one of which was the falling of Karihi from the heavens.

Another figure represented the taniko or ornamental designs woven on cloaks.

Whai was deemed primarily an amusement for females, but males also joined in it. Some figures were manipulated by one person, some by two, or three, and some by four.

Prof. Haddon, in The Study of Man notes that cat's cradle is known all over Western Europe, also in Korea, Japan, China, Borneo, New Guinea, Melanesia and Australia. In regard to the statements made that figures of the Maori game represent incidents from their mythology, he remarks:—"These statements are very interesting, and suggest that we have here to do with some symbolism that has in course of time become obscured. On the other hand maui may be merely a pastime, and the string figures or designs may be nothing more than casual illustrations of the mythology of the natives. There do not appear to be sufficient data at present to settle this point." These remarks are just, and we have no evidence to show that such representations are anything more than 'casual illustrations' of Maori myths.

In Cat's Cradles from Many Lands, by Kathleen Haddon, are depicted many patterns from Africa, America, Torres Straits, etc., together with a detailed explanation of the manipulation of the cord whereby such figures were produced.

Mr. John White gives Te whai a Maui (the whai of Maui) as the name of the game, and gives the following as being jingles repeated by players:—

"Tikina he puwha ma taua
Kia ora ai te wetewete i ta taua whai
Matora, matora, pioioi
Matora pioioi."

The following is another such song:—

"Te karoro i Maunga-nui ra … e
Tikina mai ta taua whai
Wetewetekia, ka whiwhi
Ka matora kau nene tapa kuri." (?)

The latter was also used as a (tiwha) form of conveying a hint that the singer proposed some action, such as a raid, in which he wished his hearers to assist him.

The same authority provides the following notes:—"Contests in this game were frequent in the days of yore, when the people of a hamlet assembled in a large house at night. In some cases two players page 78would take their cord loops and, standing or sitting back to back, make the pattern agreed upon. They would then face each other and compare their efforts. Females were often reckoned more dexterous than males at the making of these string patterns, some of which are most intricate, and proficiency in the formation thereof calls for much practice.

Some of the figures made in this game are said to have represented occurrences in the mythology of the race, such as the making of Tiki-ahua, the birth of the gods, the descent of Hine-titama [Hine-nui-te-Po] to the underworld, Maui procuring fire, as also other exploits of Maui."

Adults would often be seen teaching young folk the more intricate figures of whai, and children learned the simple patterns from each other. Both teeth and feet were sometimes employed in setting up figures. In many cases designs ran in series, one form being changed into another, often effected by means of an assistant player.

Tuta Nihoniho supplied the following list of names of designs known among the Ngati-Porou tribe:—

  • Kotore huia
  • Tonga raurepa.
  • Te Ara tiatia a Pawa
  • Ngutu huia
  • Kawe tupapaku
  • Mouti or Moti
  • Moi haere
  • Te Whai papaki tahi a Maui
  • Te Toemi a Rua-mitimiti
  • Paekohu
  • Kapunga uru tutu
  • Paepae hamuti
  • Te Waka a Tama-rereti. The Canoe of Tamarereti
  • Nga Ihiihi o Kopu. The Rays of Venus
  • Te Puke ki Hikurangi. The Mount at Hikurangi

The same contributor furnishes a few explanatory notes:—In some cases it required two operators to set up a complicated figure. Only adepts could make some of the intricate ones, hence the saying of—"Na wai koe, te kuare, i ki kia rite koe ki te tangata ka rapa te whai" (who said that you, the ignoramus, should be equal to the person who can make intricate whai designs); also "Na wai te tangata ka rapa te whai"; as said of a person who excels at making the difficult patterns of whai. He who excels at so difficult a thing should be able to do anything. Performers always strove to surpass others.

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Fig. 13 Setting up Intricate Designs in Cat's Cradle. Tuhoe Natives in Camp Dominion Museum Photos

Quaint stanzas, or jingles, were recited or sung in connection with some of the patterns of whai; the following is one pertaining to the mouti pattern:—

"Mouti, mouti, moi haere, moi haere
Mouti, mouti, moi haere, moi haere
Ana ka peapeau noa, ka raparapa noa
Aue! Arara!
Haere ki te tihoihoi … e."

page 80

Fig. 14 A design in Cat's Cradle known as Ruapehu and Tongariro. It is supposed to represent those two mountains From N.Z. Journal of Science

Elders indulged in cat's cradle as well as children, and any child who was clever and quick in learning to make or 'set up' the more intricate patterns was deemed to be worthy of being taught higher things, perhaps even to be entered as a pupil in the whare wananga. As Tuta remarked—"He whare wananga taua mea te whai." The whare wananga was the highest form of teaching, that pertaining to ritual and tribal history.

The following is a list of designs of whai furnished by Kahotea Te Heuheu, of Taupo, as some of those formerly known to the Tuwharetoa tribe: others he had forgotten:—

  • Nga tara kaikape
  • Tama a roa
  • Te Kotiro
  • Te Whare o Takoreke. The House of Takoreke.
  • Te Mahau (o te Whare o Takoreke) The Porch
  • Kopu. Venus
  • Purere kohu
  • Tongariro (Mountain)
  • Te Rara tunapage 81
  • Te Komore
  • Nga Maui. The Maui brothers.
  • Te Ikiiki
  • Te Manuka piko.

Some of these designs are secondary ones, formed from others. Thus the Manuka piko is formed from Te Ikiiki. That known as Te Rara tuna shows eels being smoke dried at a fire called an ahi rara ika. When forming Purere-kohu, the manipulator says— "Purere-kohu El Ka mau koe i te taua" (O Purere-kohu! You will be captured by the enemy), and the manipulation of the cord shows the endangered person jumping over a cliff to escape.

The following designs were remembered by the Tuhoe tribe, during the writer's sojourn in their district:—

  • Tiremiremi
  • Tonganui
  • Whare puni
  • Te Whare toto kau
  • Te Whare o Takoreke
  • Te Whare pora
  • Komore
  • Tama a roa
  • Tama a hine
  • Mouti
  • Wiwirau
  • Paekohu
  • Te Rara matai
  • Te Tutira o Maui
  • Te Whakahua horopito
  • Te Ana i Taupo, or Te Ana o Karanga-hape
  • Te Ahi i tunua ai te manawa o Nuku-tauparoro
  • Te Waka o Tama-rereti.

The following was repeated over the Waka o Tama-rereti design:—

"Hoea te Waka o Tama-rereti
Ki te take harakeke
Hoea!"

When the Tiremiremi design was set up, its parts were made to move, as the following was recited:—

"E ai ana hoki, e pare he ana
Te waha o to kotore ki rau o te whenua
Ira to puta, te kainga o te ariki
Aua nene, aua rekareka."

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Fig. 15 A Form of Cat's Cradle known as Te Ara o Tawhaki From N.Z. Journal of Science

The Whare o Takoreke represents a house decorated with carvings, while the Whare toto kau is a plain, unadorned house, as its name implies. Among Tuhoe the Whare pora is the house of weaving; all details of textile arts pertain to that house. The Rara matai represents a tree with branches.

The following names of patterns of Whai were obtained from natives at Poverty Bay in 1919:—

  • Mouti
  • Toemi
  • Te Puia i Whakaari
  • Ngutu koko
  • Maui
  • Tutae takahuri
  • Te Whare o Takore
  • Te Kani
  • Kiwi
  • Te Waka kai harakeke
  • Puta-a-toke
  • Moutohora
  • Te Waka o Tama-rereti
  • Tonga-raurepe
  • Maikaika
  • Paekohu
  • Te Ara o Tawhaki (See Fig. 15
  • Whai wahine
  • Whai tane
  • Whai kotiro
  • Whiwhirau
  • Waewae kahu
  • Nga Pu-tutu
page 83

Of these the Maui design shows four of the Maui brothers, the Whai wahine shows a female and is changed into the Whai tane, which represents a man, after which it is changed back into the Whai wahine. The following lines are sung when the Waka o Tama-rereti is formed:

"Hoea, hoea te waka o Tama-rereti
Ki waho ki te moana
Hou parati, hou parati, hou."

Moutohora (the native name of Whale Island) is a big, square design, requiring two persons to form it. Another design was mentioned by natives that requires four persons to form it.

Other names of designs collected in various districts are as follows:—

  • Whare Kehua
  • Kapunga rurutu
  • Motukiwi. Also known as Kau-parera.
  • Matariki
  • Mawhiti
  • Paenui
  • Motu-kaheru
  • Waewae pikaraihe
  • Te Moana nui a Kiwa
  • Te Awanga
  • Ikaika o te raranga
  • Matui
  • Poho-kereru

The Rev. W. W. Gill has recorded the game of whai as having been practised at Mangaia, one of the Cook Isles, in pre-European times. It is there known as ai, the local dialect having lost the sounds of 'h' and 'wh' This writer says:—"Teeth were called into play to help the fingers."

It is highly probable that the game was known throughout Polynesia, but, unfortunately, we have no detailed account of the customs, habits, social life, diversions, etc., of the inhabitants of many of the islands.

In his account of Tahiti and its natives, Bligh remarks:—"I was much delighted with the number of children that I saw in every part of the country: they are very handsome and sprightly, and full of antic tricks. They have many diversions that are common with the boys in England: such as flying kites, cat's cradle, swinging, dancing or jumping in a rope, walking upon stilts and wrestling."

In speaking of a native boy of the Santa Cruz Group, W. Coote remarks:—"His great accomplishment was the manipulation of a piece of string into what I believe are called 'cat's cradles.' It is interesting to notice the wide-spread prevalence of this amusement. The natives are very clever at it, and can carry out very numerous combinations, taking and re-taking the arrangements from each other for hours together."

page 84

Cat's cradle is also known in Australia. In the Report of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, 1902, is an article on the game as known to the aborigines of Northern Queensland, in which illustrations of seventy-seven different designs are given, some of which are remarkably intricate.

In the Hawaiian Isles the game is termed hee (Maori heke), and we are told that people guessed what each figure represented, as the performer made them, the one who guessed correctly then singing the song appropriate to the figure. Among our own Maori folk all the figures were well known, and there could be no guessing as to what they represented. Among the Papuans the diversion of cat's cradle seems to have been resolved into a ceremonial performance, or to have entered into acts of white magic to some extent.

A considerable number of designs of cat's cradle, with detailed descriptions, has been placed on record by J. C. Anderson in The New Zealand Journal of Science.

The late Professor E. B. Tylor considered that cat's cradle originated in south-eastern Asia, and that the knowledge of it was carried westward to Europe and eastward to the isles of the Pacific.