There were rules, too, for the size and scale of the kites that the priests had to follow. And during the preparation of both small and large kites, _Q31 food was strictly forbidden. In terms of appearance, kites were frequently designed in the image of a native bird or a Maori God, and sometimes perhaps less often a well-known _Q32 hero. You can imagine the wind Maori first arrived in the new country in New Zealand, it may have taken some time to find suitable materials for their kites, but through trial and error, no doubt they found plants and trees that provided bark and even routes that they could use to make the frames and wings of their kites. And after the frame had been constructed, the kite then had to be decorated. For this, the priests used long grasses on these. When the card was in, the air would stream along behind it.

They also used a variety of _Q33 feathers to add color to their creations. Well, all this meant it was easy to see a kite in the sky, but you could also hear maori kites. They could be quite noisy indeed, and this was because some priests like to hang a long row of _Q34 shells from the kite. You can imagine how they’d rattle and clatter in the wind, how they might completely capture your attention. As I said before, the most common image was probably a bird, and that’s the same for other kite-making cultures. But the kites were designed in particular shapes, so there were kites that the triangular rectangular and also shaped like a _Q35 diamond, and some of them was so large it would actually require several men to operate them. Um, some of the carts were also covered in patterns, and to make these patterns that Mary used different pigments of red and black. And these were either made from a charcoal base or from red-brown clay, which had been combined with oil obtained from a local species of _Q36 shark.

Now, before I forget, if you have a chance, do visit the Auckland Museum because they have the last surviving Bird man Kite on display. This is the kind of kite that has a wooden mask, the top of the frame. It’s a mask of a human head, and you can clearly see it has a tattoo and also a set of _Q37 teeth, quite impressive and a good example of Maori, craftsmanship, and symbolism, right? Turning to the purpose and function of the kites, they certainly had multiple uses. Primarily, the flying of kites was a way of communicating with the gods. On when the kites rose into the air, the Mary used them to deliver _Q38 messages, perhaps requesting a good harvest, good fortune in war, a successful hunting expedition.

So these kites were incredibly valuable to a community. Treasured objects that one generation would pass to the next. People would also fly kites for other reasons, for example, to attract the attention of a neighboring village. This was done when a _Q39 meeting was required between Mary Elders, a convenient method indeed. And finally, when it comes to war, there are traditional stories that describe how when a Maori warrior found himself surrounded by his enemies, a kite could actually provide the possibility of _Q40 escape. The cuts were powerful enough to take a man up into the air, and for this reason, they could also be used to lower him into enemy fortifications so that an attack could begin from the inside. Well, I’m happy to say that seems to be a revival and growing interest in kite making.

Attempt full listening test…