wairau

Bingham: Hiram Bingham, A Gilbertese-English Dictionary (1908, 1953). American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
Sabatier: Ernest Sabatier, M.S.C., Dictionnaire Gilbertin-Français (1954), translated by Sr. M. Oliva as Gilbertese-English Dictionary (1971). South Pacific Commission Publications Bureau.

Bingham

wáirau

vi. to engage in sewing or fastening pan leaves to a stick for thatching.

n. the process of fastening pandanus leaves to a coconut rib for thatch.

wai-rau

n. work of making thatch (rau);

v. wawairau, waea raun te bata: to stitch, or sew thatch for house.