NEMESMA ATON, snake mouth
Geolocation
Citation
David Jabin, “NEMESMA ATON, snake mouth,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/125.
- Overall presentation
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Name : NEMESMA ATON, snake mouth
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Creator : David Jabin
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Contributor(s) : Elsa de Unruh, village of Belen, Yalve Sanga , Central Chaco, Paraguay
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Date : 2019-2020
- Information on the string figure
NEMESMA ATON is a trimedimensional string figure who end with a trick. It represents the open mouth of a generic snake who bite the finger of the spectator. For Enlhet people this trick is very funny and it is performed every time the figure is shown.
NEMESMA ATON had identical construction method than TI'TSECH among the Nivacle people. However among them the figure is not followed by a trick and represents a full well.
NEMESMA ATON had identical construction method than TI'TSECH among the Nivacle people. However among them the figure is not followed by a trick and represents a full well.
1. Position I: insert L15 and R15 in the loop.
2. Twist L15 loop 180 clockwise.
3. R1 picks the left palmar string.
4. Repeat with opposite hand.
5. Distally, in the center of the figure, insert the mouth into 2 loop.
6. With the teeth, seize the cross formed by 1n and 5n. Return.
7. Release 2.
8. Proximally insert 2 in 1 loops, transfer these loops to 2.
9. Release left 5 loop, twist it 180 clockwise and transfer it to 1 and 5.
10. Repeat with opposite hand.
11. Proximally, insert 1 into 2 loops (close to indices), pick up 2n and return.
12. Navaho 1.
13. Distally, insert 2 into the little triangles near the thumbs.
14. Turn the palms away while releasing 5.
15. Extend palms away.
16. A spectador put his indices in the center of the figure, near the mouth of the practitioner.
17. Release teeth strings and extend to catch the spectador indices.
2. Twist L15 loop 180 clockwise.
3. R1 picks the left palmar string.
4. Repeat with opposite hand.
5. Distally, in the center of the figure, insert the mouth into 2 loop.
6. With the teeth, seize the cross formed by 1n and 5n. Return.
7. Release 2.
8. Proximally insert 2 in 1 loops, transfer these loops to 2.
9. Release left 5 loop, twist it 180 clockwise and transfer it to 1 and 5.
10. Repeat with opposite hand.
11. Proximally, insert 1 into 2 loops (close to indices), pick up 2n and return.
12. Navaho 1.
13. Distally, insert 2 into the little triangles near the thumbs.
14. Turn the palms away while releasing 5.
15. Extend palms away.
16. A spectador put his indices in the center of the figure, near the mouth of the practitioner.
17. Release teeth strings and extend to catch the spectador indices.
- Item references
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Key words : String figures, Enlhet, 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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Format : jpeg, mp4, text If it is available, you can see the video with subtitles by clicking here
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Language : Enlhet, spanish
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Location : Village of Belen, Yalve Sanga , Central Chaco, Paraguay, South America
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Description : Enlhet string figure, method of construction, linguistic data, cultural aspects