AVINNGARAATTIAK KINGALLAAK, two lemmings in front of the hills
Geolocation
Relations
Item Relations
| This Item | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | Item: IJITULIRJUK, one with (two) big eyes |
| Item: AVILIAJUK, someone's name | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | This Item |
Graphical representation of this item’s relations
Citation
Céline Petit, “AVINNGARAATTIAK KINGALLAAK, two lemmings in front of the hills,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/268.
- Overall presentation
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Name : AVINNGARAATTIAK KINGALLAAK, two lemmings in front of the hills
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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 in front of two hills (kingaak). They are facing opposite directions.
This figure was documented mainly among Inuit groups of Canada. In some areas (and in particular in Western and Central Canadian Arctic), the animals depicted are said to be two musk-oxen (instead of lemmings).
This figure was documented mainly among Inuit groups of Canada. In some areas (and in particular in Western and Central Canadian Arctic), the animals depicted are said to be two musk-oxen (instead of lemmings).
1. Opening A. Turn palms towards the body.
2. 2 passes over 1 loop and hooks up 1n, rotating away from the body and up. Release 1 loop.
3. 1 under 2 loops proximally enters 5 loop, picks up 5n and proximal 2f. 1, over 2 loops, picks up 5f.
4. 1 proximally picks up distal 2n. Navajo the three proximal 1 loops over the distal 1 loop.
5. Release 5 loop. There are three horizontal strings crossing the figure. 5 proximally enters 1 loop close to 1 and hooks down (through 1 loop) the horizontal string closest to the body.
6. (Qipisimallugu = ) L12 grabs proximal R2n close to R2 and removes proximal R2 loop from R2 (while distal R2 loop remains on R2), and makes it rotate half a turn away from the body, before replacing it on R2. R12 does the same with proximal L2n and proximal L2 loop.
7. Index Twist (3 enters proximally into both 2 loops and helps 2 to hook up 1n, returning through the 2 loops). Release 1 loop.
8. Three strings loop around 2n and pass vertically in front of the figure (on each side). 1 picks up, from below (or the near side) and from the center out, the (near) vertical string closest to the center of the figure. Inuit Ending.
The two lemmings stand on each side of the figure, with their backs turned to one another, while the horizontal strings passing through their backs represent the hills.
(cf. Wirt et al. 2009: 82-83 - BISFA 16 - for detailed illustration of a close methodology, with a slight variation at step 6).
2. 2 passes over 1 loop and hooks up 1n, rotating away from the body and up. Release 1 loop.
3. 1 under 2 loops proximally enters 5 loop, picks up 5n and proximal 2f. 1, over 2 loops, picks up 5f.
4. 1 proximally picks up distal 2n. Navajo the three proximal 1 loops over the distal 1 loop.
5. Release 5 loop. There are three horizontal strings crossing the figure. 5 proximally enters 1 loop close to 1 and hooks down (through 1 loop) the horizontal string closest to the body.
6. (Qipisimallugu = ) L12 grabs proximal R2n close to R2 and removes proximal R2 loop from R2 (while distal R2 loop remains on R2), and makes it rotate half a turn away from the body, before replacing it on R2. R12 does the same with proximal L2n and proximal L2 loop.
7. Index Twist (3 enters proximally into both 2 loops and helps 2 to hook up 1n, returning through the 2 loops). Release 1 loop.
8. Three strings loop around 2n and pass vertically in front of the figure (on each side). 1 picks up, from below (or the near side) and from the center out, the (near) vertical string closest to the center of the figure. Inuit Ending.
The two lemmings stand on each side of the figure, with their backs turned to one another, while the horizontal strings passing through their backs represent the hills.
(cf. Wirt et al. 2009: 82-83 - BISFA 16 - for detailed illustration of a close methodology, with a slight variation at step 6).
H. Paniaq stresses that the method of making this figure starts the same as for making the figure IJITULIRJUK, two big eyes.
"Umiŋmatciäk - two musk-oxen", Jenness 1924 : 67-68, LIV (fig. 75, Mackenzie/Inuvialuit and Copper/Inuinnait).
"Lemmings or caribou calves", Mathiassen 1928: 223, fig. 17b (upside down) (Aivilingmiut).
"Umiŋmatciak, two musk-oxen", Paterson 1949 : 19, fig. 12 (Craig Harbour).
"Avingaciâk kingaciahlâk – les deux lemmings (devant les collines)", Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 30-31 (Arviligjuarmiut).
"Lemmings or caribou calves", Mathiassen 1928: 223, fig. 17b (upside down) (Aivilingmiut).
"Umiŋmatciak, two musk-oxen", Paterson 1949 : 19, fig. 12 (Craig Harbour).
"Avingaciâk kingaciahlâk – les deux lemmings (devant les collines)", Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 30-31 (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)