Te kai ni wairau

Te kai ni wairau. Thatching awl. This kai ni wairau is used to make ato (pieces of thatch) forming the roof of dwellings. Ato are sourced from prepared te baa (coconut leaves) or baan ni kaina (pandanus leaves) that are soaked for up to three days then layered thickly together. When attached carefully these become water tight and are able to protect a dwelling for several years. The kai ni wairau is used to pierce the leaves which are then secured with te noko (coconut midrib) through the holes. This kai ni wairau is made of ngea wood. It is long in length and round in cross-section. It is sharpened to a point at the piercing end. A small hole is drilled through, visible at the base end. It has a polished surface treatment overall and is yellowed, off-white colour with areas of dark discolouration.