AVILIAJUK, someone's name
Geolocation
Relations
Item Relations
| This Item | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | Item: IJITULIRJUK, one with (two) big eyes |
| This Item | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | Item: AVINNGARAATTIAK KINGALLAAK, two lemmings in front of the hills |
Graphical representation of this item’s relations
Citation
Céline Petit, “AVILIAJUK, someone's name,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/271.
- Overall presentation
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Name : AVILIAJUK, someone's name
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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 man, Aviliajuk (no particular meaning here). He is depicted as a moving character going back and forth. The recitative that is sung while the character is made to move is said to be the 'aqattiaq' (lullaby?) song of an old man (Quliktalik). Although the meaning of the words sung (or uttered) is unclear, it may partly (or indirectly) refer to "smelling or kissing a rear part". These are 'just little playful words' (uqausinnguatuinnaruluit).
A close figure (Umiliaqturjuk) representing Umiliara, a man who travels backwards and forwards, was collected among the Inuinnait ('Copper' Inuit) in the 1910s (Jenness 1924: 97). Although the final patterns and the meanings associated with the figures of Aviliajuk and Umiliaqturjuk appear similar, their methods of making are very different.
A close figure (Umiliaqturjuk) representing Umiliara, a man who travels backwards and forwards, was collected among the Inuinnait ('Copper' Inuit) in the 1910s (Jenness 1924: 97). Although the final patterns and the meanings associated with the figures of Aviliajuk and Umiliaqturjuk appear similar, their methods of making are very different.
1. Opening A. Turn palms towards 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 1 loop close to 1 and [moving over/pushing away the string that runs across 1 loop] hooks down the horizontal string closest to the body.
6. Release 2 loops (= Remove 2) and extend. Sway hands to untangle the figure in the center. Two (approximately) similar patterns are formed, one on each side of the figure.
7. R3, from the far side, pulls to the right the two strings forming the right pattern so that it disappears, while removing R5 and inserting distally R345 distally enter R1 loop and hook down R1f. The now-single pattern on the left of the figure represents Aviliajuk.
8. To make him 'travel', remove R234 (while R5 still hooks the loop) and transfer L1 loop to R1 (= insert proximally R1 into L1 loop and remove L1). R1 picks up L1n and returns to the right (= extend), while L234 enter distally into L5 loop to hold the loop. Sway LH. [The recitative starts with this move]. To make the character go to the other way, remove L234 and proximally transfer R1 loop to L1 (removing R1). Extend and sway RH while L1 returns to the left (and with L5 pulling its loop).
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 1 loop close to 1 and [moving over/pushing away the string that runs across 1 loop] hooks down the horizontal string closest to the body.
6. Release 2 loops (= Remove 2) and extend. Sway hands to untangle the figure in the center. Two (approximately) similar patterns are formed, one on each side of the figure.
7. R3, from the far side, pulls to the right the two strings forming the right pattern so that it disappears, while removing R5 and inserting distally R345 distally enter R1 loop and hook down R1f. The now-single pattern on the left of the figure represents Aviliajuk.
8. To make him 'travel', remove R234 (while R5 still hooks the loop) and transfer L1 loop to R1 (= insert proximally R1 into L1 loop and remove L1). R1 picks up L1n and returns to the right (= extend), while L234 enter distally into L5 loop to hold the loop. Sway LH. [The recitative starts with this move]. To make the character go to the other way, remove L234 and proximally transfer R1 loop to L1 (removing R1). Extend and sway RH while L1 returns to the left (and with L5 pulling its loop).
"Avilii aviliajugalii, nauman inna, itingni ikangat aluksiniaqtuq, kuniksiniaqtuq, tipiraksiniaqtuuq!"
"Umiliaqturjuk", Jenness 1924: 97, LXXXII, fig. 119 (Copper/Inuinnait, Canada): different method of making but similar pattern representing a man who travels backwards and forwards (while the following words are uttered 'umiliara nau' : where is Umiliara?). See Wirt et al. 2009: 127 - BISFA 16 - for a detailed illustration of the method of construction as collected by D. Jenness (LXXXII).
"Aviliayualuk", Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 143 [XXVIIb. Iglulik] : Figure related to 'Iyeraciaq' (XXVIIa) and to 'Naliagnun qinertoq' (XXVIIc - which suggests the idea of 'searching (for) in which direction' ?).
"Aviliayualuk", Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 143 [XXVIIb. Iglulik] : Figure related to 'Iyeraciaq' (XXVIIa) and to 'Naliagnun qinertoq' (XXVIIc - which suggests the idea of 'searching (for) in which direction' ?).
Translation (slide).
- 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)