IJITULIRJUK, one with (two) big eyes
Geolocation
Relations
Item Relations
| Item: AVINNGARAATTIAK KINGALLAAK, two lemmings in front of the hills | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | This Item |
| Item: AVILIAJUK, someone's name | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | This Item |
Graphical representation of this item’s relations
Citation
Céline Petit, “IJITULIRJUK, one with (two) big eyes,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/270.
- Overall presentation
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Name : IJITULIRJUK, one with (two) big eyes
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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 a face with two big eyes (iji - eye), a nose and nostrils.
This figure was collected among various Inuit groups from Alaska, Canada and Greenland, mainly under a name referring to "two big eyes". Since the late 19th century at least, it is also interpreted as representing a pair of shears or scissors in some Inuit societies of the Canadian Eastern Arctic (Aivilingmiut, Nunavimmiut...). The methods of making this figure vary slightly depending on the areas. The string configuration preceding the creation of this figure (just before releasing the thumb loop) is not named among the Iglulingmiut, but it is identified as a figure itself in various Inuit areas of Alaska and the Canadian western and central Arctic. This intermediate figure (named pikjutaq, piksukatsiaq, pikhugjuk, or piksutirjuk) was generally said to represent 'two snow-shovels' but other interpretations would also prevail in some areas (cf. 'a man with his arms raised above his head', 'the wanderer', Coronation gulf / Inuinnait).
This figure was collected among various Inuit groups from Alaska, Canada and Greenland, mainly under a name referring to "two big eyes". Since the late 19th century at least, it is also interpreted as representing a pair of shears or scissors in some Inuit societies of the Canadian Eastern Arctic (Aivilingmiut, Nunavimmiut...). The methods of making this figure vary slightly depending on the areas. The string configuration preceding the creation of this figure (just before releasing the thumb loop) is not named among the Iglulingmiut, but it is identified as a figure itself in various Inuit areas of Alaska and the Canadian western and central Arctic. This intermediate figure (named pikjutaq, piksukatsiaq, pikhugjuk, or piksutirjuk) was generally said to represent 'two snow-shovels' but other interpretations would also prevail in some areas (cf. 'a man with his arms raised above his head', 'the wanderer', Coronation gulf / Inuinnait).
1. Opening A. Turn palms so that they face the body.
2. 2 passes over 1 loop and hooks up 1n [with the help of 3], 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 several horizontal strings crossing the figure. 5 proximally enters the approximate triangle formed on each side of the figure in such a way to hook down the horizontal string closest to the body.
6. (Qipisimallugu = ) R12 grabs proximal L2n close to L2 and removes proximal L2 loop from L2 (while distal L2 loop remains on L2), and makes it rotate half a turn away from the body, before replacing it on L2. L12 then does the same with proximal R2n and proximal R2 loop.
7. Index Twist (3 enters proximally into both 2 loops and helps 2 to hook up 1n close to 1, returning through the 2 loops). Release 1 loop.
8. 1 picks up on each side one of the two vertical strings (running across the two main TV strings), R Katilluik.
9. There are two strings crossing upper TV string and 1 loop, and forming on each side of the figure two approximate circles. From the far side of the figure (= from behind), insert 2 and 3 into these holes so that 2 hook up the (upper) TV string (and return through these holes, away from the body and up). Release 1 loop. A face with two eyes, a nose and two nostrils is formed.
(cf. Wirt et al. 2009: 55-56 - BISFA 16 - for detailed illustration of a close methodology [after Jenness XXXVI], with slight variations from step 6).
2. 2 passes over 1 loop and hooks up 1n [with the help of 3], 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 several horizontal strings crossing the figure. 5 proximally enters the approximate triangle formed on each side of the figure in such a way to hook down the horizontal string closest to the body.
6. (Qipisimallugu = ) R12 grabs proximal L2n close to L2 and removes proximal L2 loop from L2 (while distal L2 loop remains on L2), and makes it rotate half a turn away from the body, before replacing it on L2. L12 then does the same with proximal R2n and proximal R2 loop.
7. Index Twist (3 enters proximally into both 2 loops and helps 2 to hook up 1n close to 1, returning through the 2 loops). Release 1 loop.
8. 1 picks up on each side one of the two vertical strings (running across the two main TV strings), R Katilluik.
9. There are two strings crossing upper TV string and 1 loop, and forming on each side of the figure two approximate circles. From the far side of the figure (= from behind), insert 2 and 3 into these holes so that 2 hook up the (upper) TV string (and return through these holes, away from the body and up). Release 1 loop. A face with two eyes, a nose and two nostrils is formed.
(cf. Wirt et al. 2009: 55-56 - BISFA 16 - for detailed illustration of a close methodology [after Jenness XXXVI], with slight variations from step 6).
"Shears", Comer 1899, AMNH Archives (Aivilik / Hudson Bay).
"Anawhokshan", Mutch 1900, AMNH Archives (Cumberland Sound).
"Two big eyes", Jenness 1924: 46-48, XXXVI, fig. 48 (Inupiat, Inuvialuit, Inuinnait / Alaska to Mackenzie delta, Canada) [after fig. 47, "the two snow-shovels"], fig. 48a : Eastern Canadian Inuit.
"Ijitulertjuk – eye", Mathiassen 1928 : 223 (Aivilingmiut).
" The snowy owl", Birket-Smith (I) 279 (Qairnirmiut) / face (II) : 293f
"Pikhugjuk – the wanderer", Rasmussen 6 (Inuinnait - East Copper).
"The face", Paterson 1949 : 14-15, fig. 3 (Egedesminde, Ubekendt Island, Upernavik, Cape York, Craig Harbour).
Piksuterjuk – (deux pelles à neige ?, deux œufs dans le nid?) / Iyitulerjuk – Celui qui a de grands yeux, Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 108-110, fig. 92 (Arviligjuarmiut).
"Anawhokshan", Mutch 1900, AMNH Archives (Cumberland Sound).
"Two big eyes", Jenness 1924: 46-48, XXXVI, fig. 48 (Inupiat, Inuvialuit, Inuinnait / Alaska to Mackenzie delta, Canada) [after fig. 47, "the two snow-shovels"], fig. 48a : Eastern Canadian Inuit.
"Ijitulertjuk – eye", Mathiassen 1928 : 223 (Aivilingmiut).
" The snowy owl", Birket-Smith (I) 279 (Qairnirmiut) / face (II) : 293f
"Pikhugjuk – the wanderer", Rasmussen 6 (Inuinnait - East Copper).
"The face", Paterson 1949 : 14-15, fig. 3 (Egedesminde, Ubekendt Island, Upernavik, Cape York, Craig Harbour).
Piksuterjuk – (deux pelles à neige ?, deux œufs dans le nid?) / Iyitulerjuk – Celui qui a de grands yeux, Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 108-110, fig. 92 (Arviligjuarmiut).
- 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)