Belt, tatua, of plant fibre, from New Zealand; part of the Banks collection (1886.21.3)

For the purposes of this description the belt has been oriented with the fold at the bottom of the belt. The belt has been constructed using raranga whakiro or a close plait in a plain weave pattern using both undyed and black-dyed leaf strips. The spacing of the black strands is irregular and does not continue through the entire surface of the belt. The placement of the strips ranges in frequency between every 2 at the highest and every 6 at the lowest. The right side end of the belt is completely woven in undyed leaf strips. The belt has been sewn shut using a 2-ply thread of brown dyed (?) New Zealand flax fibre. The ties for this belt have been looped through the plaited band and are braided in three-strand plaits. Towards the end of both of these ties the plait transitions into a 2-strand ply

• Museum database entry.