FIIS (2), leech

Geolocation

Citation

David Jabin, “FIIS (2), leech,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/107.
  • Overall presentation

  • Name : FIIS (2), leech

  • Creator : David Jabin

  • Contributor(s) : Paulina Pérez, Samaria VIllage and Teo Servin, Jope village, Nivacle Unida Comunity, Central Chaco, Paraguay

  • Date : 2019-2020


  • Information on the string figure

    • General presentation of the string figure

    The figure represents a crawling leech (Hirudinae spp.) and is a variant of FIIS (“leech”). Nevertheless, this figure represents more specifically a crawling leech in a pond. Like "FIIS", “FIIS 2”is also reached at the end of a series. Indeed, after steps 2 to 5 an intermediate figure is sometimes called “TOS” ("snake"). In all cases, an alternate extension movement allows to animate the figure and to produce the “crawling” of the animal.

    Construction method (ISFA)

    1. Wrap the string around R1
    2. Insert 1, away from you, into the long pendant loop. Extend.
    3. Turn the palms toward you.
    4. Pass 3 distal to 2 loops. Proximally, insert 3 into 1 loops. Pick up 1f and return.
    5. Pass 4 distal to 3f, pick up both 2n and 2f and return.
    6. 1 and 2 grasp the strings on the palmar side of 4.
    7. In order to swing over the two large loops hanging under the transverse wires, move your hands quickly up and down and away from you. In the same time, move up 1 and 2 (grasping 4n), move down 4 (2n and 2f) and extend.
    8. Release 1 and 4 loops and extend.
    9. Exchange L2, L3 loops and R2, R3 loops, in passing right ones into left ones.
    10. Proximally, insert 45 into 3 loops.
    11. Proximally, insert 3 into 2 loops and pick up 2n.
    12. Press 2 against 3 to grab 2n and rotate the hands palms away.
    13. Rotate alternatively the palms away and toward you to animate the figure.
  • Item references

  • Key words : String figures, Nivacle, paraguayan Chaco

  • Publisher : Laboratory SPHERE (UMR 7219, University of Paris & CNRS)

  • Rights : Creative Commons / Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA

  • Format : jpeg, mp4, text

  • Language : Nivacle, spanish

  • Location : Village of Samaria and Jope, Boquerón Department, Paraguay, South America

  • Description : Nivacle string figure, method of construction, linguistic data, cultural aspects

Output Formats