Eskimo String Figures 



163 B 



Drop the right hand loop and remove the left index loop to the right hand. 

 The Barrow natives say nuyayaya, aqavaya, "he has launched his duck-spear." 

 The Copper Eskimos, however, call this second figure "a snow-shovel" 

 {poa\-dyin). 



Fig. 214 



CXLIII. The Ptarmigan 



This figure is the same as that recorded with the same name by Dr. Gordon 

 from Cape Prince of Wales. It was learned from some Barrow natives, their 

 word for "two ptarmigan" being aqajyik. An Eskimo from Indian point called 

 it "two old squaw ducks." The movements are remarkable in many ways, but 

 since the figure has been recorded already it is unnecessary to repeat the de- 

 scription here. 



Fig. 215 



CXLIV. auyauyayeqaq 



This figure, which comes from Indian point, resembles the next, "the 

 boiling pot," known from Barrow to Coronation gulf. It is identical with a 

 figure I learned on Goodenough island, in the D'Entrecasteaux archipelago, off 

 the east end of New Guinea, where the same movement of "cutting" through 

 the loops at the conclusion is also practised. The Indian point natives usually 

 give it the name of the first word of a chant which they sing to it, viz. auyauy- 

 ayeqaq; it was said to be the name of a woman. 



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