WHATAS, OR PATUKAS, Storehouses for Food, The New Zealanders Illustrated, 1847, George French Angas

Whatas, or patukas, storehouses for food. [image of page 72] plate xxx. Whatas, or patukas, storehouses for food. It is customary amongst the new zealanders to erect within their pahs, or about their kaingas and plantations, storehouses for the reception of food, and the preservation of maize, kumeras, and other seeds and roots: these storehouses are universally elevated from the ground by one or more posts, in order to preserve their contents from the destructive attacks of the native rat, which is extremely numerous in some parts of the country; they are termed "whata" in the northern parts of the island, whilst on the west coast, and about taupo, they are more commonly styled "patuka" 1. Represents an ordinary patuka, for holding seeds, at the small kainga or settlement of te pahe, on the waiharikiki river, (flax water,) which falls into the harbour of ahu-ahu on the west coast: in the background is a potatoe store, or ware, and a potatoe basket lies near the enclosure of the patuka. In the centre of the sketch is the dwelling-house of te ohu, a heathen priest and chief, at the village of te pahe; the sides are built of raupo, a species of rush, and the roof is thatched with tohi-tohi grass. 2. An ornamented patuka belonging to ko tariu, a chief of taupo, at the settlement of te rapa, on the shores of taupo lake. This, like most of the native buildings in the interior, is coloured red, and more decoration is observable here, than with those on the coast, and in districts where the natives have come in contact with europeans; this erection is intended as a storehouse for food; the law of tapu in connexion with the food eaten by a chief rendering it necessary for such food to be kept sacred, and apart from that eaten by the women and slaves. Some of these storehouses are very richly ornamented with carving and feathers, but it is only amongst those tribes where heathenism still exists, that these primitive works of art are to be found; as the tapu becomes of less importance with the christian natives, the erection of such elaborate structures for its preservation has consequently been discontinued. 3. Another storehouse for food, belonging to the chief te heuheu, at taupo. [image of page 73] 4. Rangihaeata's whata, in his pah at porirua. Beyond is a sleeping house or ware pune, partly sunk into the ground, with a verandah in front: kumera baskets are hung upon adjacent posts for that purpose; and in front are two large calabashes for holding water. 5. Represents a woman engaged in beating flax: this is one of the processes that this article has to undergo before it is rendered sufficiently fine to be manufactured into mats; it is beaten with a stone pestle for some time, and then washed with water and laid in the sun to bleach. In the background is a portion of the fence-work or palisading of a pah. 6. The kaka, or southern nestor, (nestor meridionalis,) fastened with a flax cord upon a stand of bark: these birds are commonly domesticated by the new zealanders, and fed on potatoes. Date: 1847.