C'O'MITAJ, burrowing owl

Geolocation

Citation

David Jabin, “C'O'MITAJ, burrowing owl,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/112.
  • Overall presentation

  • Name : C'O'MITAJ, burrowing owl

  • Creator : David Jabin

  • Contributor(s) : Erwin Pérez (teacher) and Reinelia Pérez (final figure and performed in the video)

  • Date : 2019-2020


  • Information on the string figure

    • General presentation of the string figure

    The final figure C'OMITAJ represents a standing burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), urukure'a in the paraguayan guarani language. The C'O'MITAJ is a common auxiliar spirit for nivacle shamans.

    Construction method (ISFA)

    1. Opening A
    2. Pass 1 distal to 2 loops. Proximally, insert them into 5 loops,
    pick up 5n and return.
    3. Proximally, insert 2 into proximal 1 loops, pick up proximal 1f and return.
    4. Release 1.
    5. Distally, insert 1 into proximal 2 loops (only), pass proximal to 5,
    pick up 5f and return.
    6. Release 5 loops.
    7. 2 pass distal to higher 2n and distally enter in lower 2 loop and rotate 360 clockwise.
    8. Extend.
  • 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, Nivacle Unida Comunity, Boquerón Department, Paraguay, South America.

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

Output Formats