Making "sennit" string from coconut husks was traditionally the job of the old folks who couldn't do much else. This used to be the only string in the Pacific, and was made into thicker ropes as necessary for particular jobs. In Butaritari, sennit is still being made in the old way by rolling/twisting it on the thigh. It is still used by these people. Note the big ball in the background. The floor they are sitting on is tied together with sennit.