GAMES OF THE OLD TIME MAORI by HEMI BENNETT Part 2 Photo: Peter Blanc Some further traditional toys of the Maori are described in this article following the story of the kite and the reti in our April issue. TOPS, or potaka, of various types were used not only by the young and very young, but also by the not so young and very old. There were whip tops of several kinds, humming tops, double-ended tops, gourd tops, jumping tops and climbing tops. The whip, itself, called a ta or kare, was made by tying strips of green flax to a wooden handle. The strips were wound round the top and quickly pulled thus setting the top spinning. Top spinning was usually a contest of which there were three types. In one the tops were jumped over mounds or hurdles called karangi. In the second, players commenced whipping the tops down narrower lanes, and though the players interfered with each other's tops, they endeavoured to reach the goal, represented by a line drawn across the ground, which might be a hundred yards away. Tops had to be kept spinning, otherwise the player was forced to retire from the contest. The third was perhaps the most interesting and unusual. The top itself, as a rule most elaborately carved and inlaid with paua shell, measured about six inches by three and a quarter inches in diameter. In addition, there was a spindle protruding from the exact centre of the top. This was about three and a quarter inches long, and had a hole bored through the side at the extreme tip. In operation a cord was threaded through the hole and tied to the branch of a tree so that the top was suspended at about chest level. A shorter cord was then wound round the base of the spindle and pulled against a kip—a small piece of wood which acted as a fulcrum with such force that it would cause the top to spin very swiftly. It would spin so swiftly in fact, that the cord by which the top was suspended would wind itself round the spindle, and in winding itself, would cause the top to climb upwards, on the cord itself. Of course the winner of the contest was the one whose top climbed highest. Although the writer has been unable to find any reference to this top either in museums or in any publication, he has seen the top in action, spoken to numerous others who have witnessed it in operation, and, furthermore, has a beautiful specimen of this type in his possession. Occasionally stone tops were made but were never common. The potaka takiri or humming top had a projection similar to that of the climbing top but without the hole, and was spun similarly, by winding the cord round the stem. The wood used was usually matai or mapara. Ditties and chants were sung to the spinning of tops. The potaka hue, as the name implies, was made from the calabash or gourd. As a rule small ones were used though occasionally large calabashes were made use of as tops. Down the centre of the gourd a rod was passed, one end being pointed, upon which the top would spin. Holes were cut in the side of the hue and the action of the wind upon these holes would cause the top to emit a humming sound. To the old people this humming represented the wailing of the dead. For top spinning entered into Maori mourning ceremonial. At times, often after the defeat of a party in battle, friendly visitors would call at their pa to pay their last respects to the memory of those killed in the fight. Specially composed songs would be sung when the humming tops would be whipped up and made to sound off between each verse of the laments. The last time this custom was revived, appears to have been after the battle of Orakau. It might be compared with the Prayer Wheel of Tibet. In an endeavour to prevent children from being selfish and to teach them to be generous, a curious game was played. Should a small child be enjoying some delicacy, an adult would approach the child, and, clasping hands, but leaving the little fingers poking out, would say, “Will my fort fall to you?” The little one would place a piece of the delicacy upon the projecting fingers and this would be eaten by the adult. Sometimes complete miniature forts were made by boys, a game they found fascinating. Equally