Eskimo String Figures 



171 B 



From the distal side remove the right index loop to the left index and the 

 right thumb loop to the left thumb. 



Drop the strings in the mouth, hold the left thumb loops in the left hand 

 and the left index loops in the right hand, and you have "the little finger" (fig. 20) . 



CLI. ucuyyuk 



This figure, which comes from the Mackenzie river, begins in exactly the 

 same way as "the children" and "the angry man" (see Nos. LXXIV and LXXV). 

 The later movements resemble several figures, e.g. "the brown bears coming 

 out of their caves," "the squirrel," etc. The Copper Eskimos know this figure 

 in a simpler form, with a modification of the opening movement. They too 

 call it by the same name, in their dialect uxujyuk. In its Copper Eskimo 

 form it is evidently the same figure as that described by Dr. Boas from 

 Cumberland sound, under the name ussuqdjung (reproduced by Mrs. Jaynes as 

 "the circle"). 



Mackenzie Opening. 



Loop over the thumb and index of each hand. 



Drop the left thumb-index loop over the transverse strings, then thread 

 the tip of the right thumb-index loop through the double-stringed noose thus 

 formed and draw the knot tight. 



With the two strings that come away to the right make Opening A. 



Continuation of both. 



Pass the hands into the thumb loops from the distal side, and dropping the 

 thumb loops, draw the hand loops over the thumbs on to the wrists. 



Drop the little finger loops and with the index loops again make Opening A. 

 Remove the loops from the wrists. You have ucuyyuk. 



Fig 224 



In the Mackenzie figure, pull apart the two strings that run to the lower 

 transverse string. The knot breaks and you are left with Opening A. 



