Eskimo String Figures 



33 B 



With the thumb and index of each hand spread apart the two upper trans- 

 verse strings. You have "a closed door." 



Say upkweyin, "open the door," and drop the left little finger loop. The 

 figure disappears— "the door" is open. 



Fig. 28 



SUBSECTION C. MISCELLANEOUS FIGURES WIDELY DISTRIBUTED 



XXIII. Two Tot Labeets 



This figure is made in two stages. An Eskimo from Nome and another 

 from Port Clarence knew the first stage only, and called it tutdnokin^; "your two 

 toy labrets." The Mackenzie river natives called it tutaqpdc-idk, "two big 

 labrets," while in Coronation gulf, where labrets. are unknown, it was called 

 tuatuayatddk, which was said to mean "two small stones." The second stage 

 I found only at Barrow and among the inland natives of North Alaska. 



Opening A. 



With the thumbs from the proximal side raise the ulnar little finger strings, 

 then from the distal side, i.e. with the backs of the thumbs, take up the radial 

 little finger strings and drop the index loops. Now the Barrow and Inland 

 natives chant as fast as they are able: 



tutanokm^ lyiaqpaym Your two toy labrets have you finished 



them before me? 

 qayatdafjdnun&ylan Right up to their conclusion (?) 



Fig. 29 



72754—3 



