Just wanted to respectfully clear up a couple of points, I hope not to offend if possible,
firstly Squarerigger, Maori did not use coconut or pandamus due to these plants not being endemic to New Zealand, they used 'NZ flax' or Phormium Tenax and Phormium Colensoi, both of which are exellent for lashings, rope making and net making amongst other things. You may be interested in this info,
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax_in_New_ZealandAlso, there are corded rope samples in the Auckland Museum (New Zealand) which have been evidenced to be well over 600yrs in age and they are round in shape and four ply and eight ply plaits. Oh and by the way, these knots, lashings and ties were common knowledge not secrets, it is only time and loss of culture that dictate weather or not something such as this is passed on or known broadly.
Derek, you may wish to read a small history on the man Peter Buck, which may change your ideas as to his ability to know his product as it were? His Maori name was Te Rangi Hīroa.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Te_Rangi_HīroaHis lineage was an old and proud one, and his mother (adopted) was seen as a greatly skilled expert in many areas of Maori (native New Zealanders) life, most of which she endevoured to pass on to Te Rangi.
