AVINNGARAATTIAK TISIMINIT ANISAARTUK, two lemmings issuing from their burrow.s
Geolocation
Citation
Céline Petit, “AVINNGARAATTIAK TISIMINIT ANISAARTUK, two lemmings issuing from their burrow.s,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/266.
- Overall presentation
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Name : AVINNGARAATTIAK TISIMINIT ANISAARTUK, two lemmings issuing from their burrow.s
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Creator : Céline Petit
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Contributor(s) : Herve PANIAQ, Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada
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Date : 2015-2021
- Information on the string figure
This string figure represents two lemmings (avinngaak) that are coming off from their burrows (tisiminit) and are going opposite ways.
The string segments representing the holes or burrows are the ones to be pulled to undo the figure without creating any tangle.
This figure was observed in various Inuit groups from the Central Canadian Arctic to Greenland.
The string segments representing the holes or burrows are the ones to be pulled to undo the figure without creating any tangle.
This figure was observed in various Inuit groups from the Central Canadian Arctic to Greenland.
1. Opening A.
2. Moving over 2n, 1 pick up 2f.
3. 2 (moving over 2n) pick up proximal 1 f. Remove 1.
4. Proximally transfer 2 loops to 1 while maintaining loop order. Distally transfer 5 loop to 2.
5. Proximally insert 5 into both 1 loops ; 5 hook down 2n.
6. Index Twist with the distal TV 1n string. Release distal 1 loop only.
7. R Katilluik. Proximally transfer 1 loop to 2.
8. Near the middle of the figure two strings run from lower to upper TV strings such that they pass over the TV strings from the front to the back of the figure. Insert 1 between the two strings, and on the back of 1 pick up the string closest to it.
9. L Katilluik, then proximally transfer 1 loop to 2.
10. At the bottom center of the figure, two approximately horizontal strings cross. Pick up each string with the nearer 1. Proximally insert 1 into 2 loop, Navajo 1, remove 2 and extend/adjust so that the two lemmings' holes (or double burrow) appear in the middle. The lemmings are located on each side of the figure, each "emerging" from a hole.
(cf. Wirt et al. 2009: 104-105 - BISFA 16 - for detailed illustration of a close methodology, with slight variation at step 3).
2. Moving over 2n, 1 pick up 2f.
3. 2 (moving over 2n) pick up proximal 1 f. Remove 1.
4. Proximally transfer 2 loops to 1 while maintaining loop order. Distally transfer 5 loop to 2.
5. Proximally insert 5 into both 1 loops ; 5 hook down 2n.
6. Index Twist with the distal TV 1n string. Release distal 1 loop only.
7. R Katilluik. Proximally transfer 1 loop to 2.
8. Near the middle of the figure two strings run from lower to upper TV strings such that they pass over the TV strings from the front to the back of the figure. Insert 1 between the two strings, and on the back of 1 pick up the string closest to it.
9. L Katilluik, then proximally transfer 1 loop to 2.
10. At the bottom center of the figure, two approximately horizontal strings cross. Pick up each string with the nearer 1. Proximally insert 1 into 2 loop, Navajo 1, remove 2 and extend/adjust so that the two lemmings' holes (or double burrow) appear in the middle. The lemmings are located on each side of the figure, each "emerging" from a hole.
(cf. Wirt et al. 2009: 104-105 - BISFA 16 - for detailed illustration of a close methodology, with slight variation at step 3).
"Aviŋätciäk hitaklu - two lemmings and their two burrows", Jenness 1924: 81, LXVIII, fig. 96 (east Coronation gulf, Inuinnait)
"Two lemmings and their burrows", Birket-Smith 1929: 279 (Qairnirmiut)
"Two lemmings and their burrows", Paterson 1949: 24, fig. 26 (Cape York, Craig Harbour)
"Avingaciâk sitiminit aniyûk - les deux lemmings sortant de leur terrier", Mary-Rousselière 1969: 30, fig. 24 (Arviligjuarmiut)
"Two lemmings and their burrows", Birket-Smith 1929: 279 (Qairnirmiut)
"Two lemmings and their burrows", Paterson 1949: 24, fig. 26 (Cape York, Craig Harbour)
"Avingaciâk sitiminit aniyûk - les deux lemmings sortant de leur terrier", Mary-Rousselière 1969: 30, fig. 24 (Arviligjuarmiut)
Bilateral symmetry.
- 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)