Initially used as woodworking tools, Māori hei toki blades, and the lashings that accompany them, have become highly prized pieces of art, sought after the world wide.
Interestingly...
The Hei Toki lashing is not what holds the bone or stone to its cord. As the following images illustrate (taken during my systematic de-constructive research), the Hei Toki is suspended from a cord looped through a hole at the top of the bone or stone (no knots, bindings or lashings).
The Hei Toki lashing hides this fact, making it "effectively" decorative. Further the Hei Toki lashing stays in place (i.e. does not slip off the top of the stone or bone) on account of notches carved into the Hei Toki's right and left top edges (seen in the image above).
For a video showing how to tie a Hei Toki Lashing visit the following link.
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qCi8yWA8IQ
[right click link, open in new window]
Sometimes beauty hides the truth...
JD ~ TIAT
