Material

The plants which supply material for cordage are the fau or fau tu (Hibiscus tiliaceus), fau songa or fau olonga (Pipturus propinquus), mati or matiata (Ficus sp.), and the coconut. The bast of the breadfruit (Artocarpus incisa) is used for a particular net and sometimes the bast of the paper mulberry. Except the coconut, the inner bark or bast of the plants is used. It readily splits off from the outer bark and for finer lines, it is scraped on a board with a shell to remove the coloring matter and mucilaginous material.

The fau grows practically everywhere and supplies the material for ordinary ropes. The whole bark is used in wide strips for tying scaffolding and in narrower strips for other minor purposes, such as tying baskets. For common everyday use the fau is invaluable.

The fau songa is called fau olonga in Manua. In olonga, Manua retains the widespread Polynesian name given to various plants that supply the bast material for lines and cords. Stronger than fau tu, it does not grow in such quantity and the better fibre is thus restricted to finer cords. After being scraped it is usually braided together (Pl. XVIII, C, 1) and rendered whiter by soaking in sea water, rubbing in sand, and bleaching in the sun. The extra labor in getting sufficient quantity prevents its being used to make ropes.

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The matiata supplies strong fibre in the bast of the long, slender rods which characterise the plant, and is used as cordage for shark nets.

The coconut supplies strong fibres in the husk surrounding the fruit. The large quantity of interfibrous material is separated by a special process. The much-used three-ply braid is made from it as are also the strong ropes.

The fau supplies the material for ordinary rough use, fau songa, the strong lines and cords not requiring too much in the way of quantity, while, for quantity and strength, coconut husk fibre supplies the 'afa braid and strong ropes.