Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

WHEKĪ-PONGA, whekī-kōhunga; tūkirunga, pēhiakura, kurīpākā, kuranuipākā (all in Williams 1971), pūnui (Best, used in Matatua district) 

Slabs of matted aerial roots cut from thick stems:  pairi ponga (Best 1942)

whekiponga

"Sometimes, especially in the interior, the outside of their better houses was formed of hard fibrous slabs cut from the stout red-brown fern-tree, wekiponga" (Colenso 1868a).

Slabs used to line underground storage pits. Withstood rats. Rushes used for lining. Tūhoe used slabs to cover the roof-frames of rua (Best 1907, 1916)