FIIS (1), leech
Citation
David Jabin, “FIIS (1), leech,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/105.
- Overall presentation
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Name : FIIS (1), leech
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Creator : David Jabin
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Contributor(s) : Reinelia Pérez, village of Samaria, Nivacle Unida Comunity, Central Chaco, Paraguay
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Date : 2019-2020
- Information on the string figure
"Leech" is the animate final figure of a series and represents a crawling leech (Hirudinae spp.). The series presents 4 figures: “crystal snake” (steps 1-8), “lightning” (another animate figure, steps 9-13), “broken plate pieces” (steps 14-18) and finally “leech”. It is possible to make a variant of this final figure without performing the same intermediate figures. In all cases, repeated hand extension movements are used to simulate the animal's crawling.
1. Hold string between 1 and 2, hands being about six inches apart.
2. Proximally, insert L2 into dorsal R2 loops.
3. Rotate 2 horizontally clockwise.
4. Insert 1, away from you, into the long pendant loop. Extend.
5. Pass 1 distal to 2n. Proximally, insert 1 into proximal 1 loops,
pick up 1f and return.
6. Pass 2 distal to 3f, pick up 2n and return.
7. 1 and 2 grasp 3f (between 4n and 4f)
8. In order to swing over the two large double loops that hang under the transverse strings, move your hands quickly and away from you. In the same time, move up 1 and 2 (grasping 3 f), move down 4 (hooking down 3n) and extend.
9. Release 1 and 4 loops and extend.
10. Proximally, insert 45 into 3 loops.
11. Grab 2n beetween 2 and 3 and rotate the hands, palms away.
12. Release 3 loop and return to position.
13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 two or three times to animate the figure.
14. By using the opposite hand, transfer L345 loop to L2345, while reversing it 180° clockwise. Repeat on the right hand.
15. Proximally, insert 3 into 2 loops and pick up 2f.
16. Grab 2n beetween 2 and 3, move down and rotate anticlockwise right hand, while moving up and right the left hand to display the figure vertically.
17. Continue the same movement to lay the figure out, left hand facing the ground and right palm up. Release both hands.
18. Distally insert 2 and 3 in the 4 triagles adjacents to central lozenge and proximally, insert 2 and 3 into this lozenge to pick up his four sides pointing 2 and 3 upside. Extend.
19. Exchange 2 and 3 loops (right into left).
20. Proximally, insert 4 and 5 into 3 loops.
21. Proximally, insert 3 into 2 loops and pick up 2f.
22. Grab 2n beetween 2 and 3 and rotate the hands palms away. Return.
23. Rotate alternatively the palms away and toward you to animate the figure.
2. Proximally, insert L2 into dorsal R2 loops.
3. Rotate 2 horizontally clockwise.
4. Insert 1, away from you, into the long pendant loop. Extend.
5. Pass 1 distal to 2n. Proximally, insert 1 into proximal 1 loops,
pick up 1f and return.
6. Pass 2 distal to 3f, pick up 2n and return.
7. 1 and 2 grasp 3f (between 4n and 4f)
8. In order to swing over the two large double loops that hang under the transverse strings, move your hands quickly and away from you. In the same time, move up 1 and 2 (grasping 3 f), move down 4 (hooking down 3n) and extend.
9. Release 1 and 4 loops and extend.
10. Proximally, insert 45 into 3 loops.
11. Grab 2n beetween 2 and 3 and rotate the hands, palms away.
12. Release 3 loop and return to position.
13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 two or three times to animate the figure.
14. By using the opposite hand, transfer L345 loop to L2345, while reversing it 180° clockwise. Repeat on the right hand.
15. Proximally, insert 3 into 2 loops and pick up 2f.
16. Grab 2n beetween 2 and 3, move down and rotate anticlockwise right hand, while moving up and right the left hand to display the figure vertically.
17. Continue the same movement to lay the figure out, left hand facing the ground and right palm up. Release both hands.
18. Distally insert 2 and 3 in the 4 triagles adjacents to central lozenge and proximally, insert 2 and 3 into this lozenge to pick up his four sides pointing 2 and 3 upside. Extend.
19. Exchange 2 and 3 loops (right into left).
20. Proximally, insert 4 and 5 into 3 loops.
21. Proximally, insert 3 into 2 loops and pick up 2f.
22. Grab 2n beetween 2 and 3 and rotate the hands palms away. Return.
23. Rotate alternatively the palms away and toward you to animate the figure.
- Item references
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Key words : String figures, Nivacle, paraguayan Chaco
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Publisher : Laboratory SPHERE (UMR 7219, University of Paris & CNRS)
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Rights : Creative Commons / Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA
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Language : Nivacle, spanish
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Location : Village of Samaria, Boquerón Department, Paraguay, South America
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Description : Nivacle string figure, method of construction, linguistic data, cultural aspects
