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Samoan Material Culture

Netting Material

Netting Material

The method of preparing netting cord has been described. The best material is fan songa. Turner (41, p. 167) states that nets were mostly made in the inland villages. This is due to the fau songa growing in greater quantity inland. On occasion the fau tu was used. For special nets, breadfruit bast, paper mulberry bast, and sennit braid were used. Thicker sennit ropes in three or five-ply braid were used for the upper and lower ropes of long nets.

A needle (si'a) and mesh gage (afa) were used. The netting needle, according to Manuan authorities, originally consisted of a stick about a foot long with a blunt point which was split. The cord was rolled in a ball and the end placed in the needle cleft. No detail could be given as to how it was used. The general idea resembles the kioe, an instrument used by the Hawaiians for mending, but in which there is no split point. The needles now in use (Pl. XLV, A, 1) are similar to those in use in other parts of Polynesia. They consist of a long flat piece of wood expanded at either end to allow for mesial longitudinal slots with narrow slits through the blunt pointed ends. The cord is wound longitudinally between the two slots. The needles are made in various sizes to suit different sized meshes, as the loaded needle must pass through the completed mesh.

The afa gage is a flat rectangular piece of wood scraped smooth, with rounded edges, and of different sizes. (See Plate XLV, A, 2.) Bamboo is a favorite wood as it is easy to shape. Pratt (23, p. 17) gives afa as meaning united in action in the phrase 'ua afa fa'atasi (from the same mesh stick). Hence, also, the saying, "Ua afa fa'atasi taofi 'uma, 'ua lelei lea mata'upu." (When all the opinions are from the same mesh stick, that matter is settled.)