PIRSURSIRAATTIAQ, the lynx
Geolocation
Relations
Item Relations
| This Item | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | Item: AMAJURJUK, the female being who carries humans in her parka |
| Item: NIVINGARQUAQTITAQ, someone or something hanging | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | This Item |
Graphical representation of this item’s relations
Citation
Céline Petit, “PIRSURSIRAATTIAQ, the lynx,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/252.
- Overall presentation
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Name : PIRSURSIRAATTIAQ, the lynx
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Creator : Céline Petit
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Contributor(s) : Herve PANIAQ, Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada
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Date : 2005-2015
- Information on the string figure
This string figure is said to represent a lynx or bobcat (Lynx canadensis). This animal was generally unseen in the Iglulik area, but Iglulingmiut had heard about it through the oral tradition. Lynx had been seen in particular (and possibly quite recently) in the 'neighbouring' area of Naujaat-Repulse Bay (Aivilingmiut).
According to the oral tradition, seeing such an animal would indicate that a snowstorm would soon occur, which appears related to the etymology of this animal's name (cf. pirsiq or pirtuq : drifting snow, pirsirtuq : it blizzards, Spalding 1998: 95). It is possible that in former times, this string figure was interpreted as referring to a fabulous (or unidentified) being/animal among the Iglulingmiut as among the Arviligjuarmiut (cf. Mary-Rousselière 1969: 42) and in Greenland (Paterson 1949: 26).
According to the oral tradition, seeing such an animal would indicate that a snowstorm would soon occur, which appears related to the etymology of this animal's name (cf. pirsiq or pirtuq : drifting snow, pirsirtuq : it blizzards, Spalding 1998: 95). It is possible that in former times, this string figure was interpreted as referring to a fabulous (or unidentified) being/animal among the Iglulingmiut as among the Arviligjuarmiut (cf. Mary-Rousselière 1969: 42) and in Greenland (Paterson 1949: 26).
1. Point the fingers away from the body and hang a loop over 1. 345 grasp the 1f string. 2 pass over 1n and point toward the body. 2 hook up 1n (= 2 rotate downward and away from the body catching up 1n and drawing it into a 2n position).
2. With the palms facing each other (and 2 pointing away from the body), insert proximally R1 into L1 loop; release L1 and insert proximally L1 into both R1 loops. Release 345 and extend.
3. Insert 5 proximally into 1 proximal loop. R5 hooks down (diagonal) R1f-L2f string ; L5 passes under L1f-R2f string and hooks down L2f.
4. Navajo 1.
5. Inuit Ending [ = Insert 2 distally into 1 loop, 2 pick up 1n, release 1, and insert 1 into upper 2 loop: 1 pick up upper 2n, release 2. Proximally transfer 1 loop to 2].
6. R1 picks up the string forming the left side of the upper triangle on the right part of the figure, and L1 picks up the lower diagonal near string on the left side. Insert 1 proximally into 2 loop(s) and Navajo 1, proximally transfer 2 loop(s) to 1 (= Inuit Ending). 7. Insert L2 distally (from the far side) into L5 loop (L2 pointing towards the body); L2 hooks up L1n (while picking up the double TV string on the left middle part of the figure). With L2 pointing upwards, release L1 and L5, and insert L345 from the far side while releasing L2 (thus forming the rear part, uppatiik, of the animal). This is PIRSURSIRAATTIAQ.
2. With the palms facing each other (and 2 pointing away from the body), insert proximally R1 into L1 loop; release L1 and insert proximally L1 into both R1 loops. Release 345 and extend.
3. Insert 5 proximally into 1 proximal loop. R5 hooks down (diagonal) R1f-L2f string ; L5 passes under L1f-R2f string and hooks down L2f.
4. Navajo 1.
5. Inuit Ending [ = Insert 2 distally into 1 loop, 2 pick up 1n, release 1, and insert 1 into upper 2 loop: 1 pick up upper 2n, release 2. Proximally transfer 1 loop to 2].
6. R1 picks up the string forming the left side of the upper triangle on the right part of the figure, and L1 picks up the lower diagonal near string on the left side. Insert 1 proximally into 2 loop(s) and Navajo 1, proximally transfer 2 loop(s) to 1 (= Inuit Ending). 7. Insert L2 distally (from the far side) into L5 loop (L2 pointing towards the body); L2 hooks up L1n (while picking up the double TV string on the left middle part of the figure). With L2 pointing upwards, release L1 and L5, and insert L345 from the far side while releasing L2 (thus forming the rear part, uppatiik, of the animal). This is PIRSURSIRAATTIAQ.
"Piqtoqciγaq - the lynx", Jenness 1924 : 138, CXIX (fig. 181, Mackenzie/Inuvialuit).
"PErtɔr(.s)hErAq - porcupine", Rasmussen 1932: 274, fig. 9 (Copper/Inuinnait) : small animal, long-legged, thin-bellied, apt to roll up when pursued... : usually a snowstorm will occur in the night when this animal is seen.
"Persessa(.sh)kuk - an animal", Paterson 1949 : 26, fig. 32 (Upernavik, Cape York, Craig Harbour).
"Pertorserak - le lynx (?)", Mary-Rousselière 1969: 41-42, fig. 36 (Arviligjuarmiut).
See Wirt et al. 2009: 187 (BISFA 16) for the illustrated description of the method of making based on Jenness 1924: 138 (CXIX), slightly different from the Iglulingmiut method.
"PErtɔr(.s)hErAq - porcupine", Rasmussen 1932: 274, fig. 9 (Copper/Inuinnait) : small animal, long-legged, thin-bellied, apt to roll up when pursued... : usually a snowstorm will occur in the night when this animal is seen.
"Persessa(.sh)kuk - an animal", Paterson 1949 : 26, fig. 32 (Upernavik, Cape York, Craig Harbour).
"Pertorserak - le lynx (?)", Mary-Rousselière 1969: 41-42, fig. 36 (Arviligjuarmiut).
See Wirt et al. 2009: 187 (BISFA 16) for the illustrated description of the method of making based on Jenness 1924: 138 (CXIX), slightly different from the Iglulingmiut method.
- Item references
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Key words : String figure; String game; Inuit; Iglulik; Eastern Canada; Arctic
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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 : Inuktitut ; English
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Location : Iglulik (Igloolik), Nunavut, Canada
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Description : Iglulingmiut (Amitturmiut) Inuit string figure (Nunavut, Canada): symbolism, method of construction, references to the same figure as documented among different Inuit groups (Alaska, Canada, Greenland)