NURRAATTIAK, the two caribou fawns
Geolocation
Relations
Item Relations
| This Item | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | Item: KATAGJUK, the entrance |
Graphical representation of this item’s relations
Citation
Céline Petit, “NURRAATTIAK, the two caribou fawns,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/316.
- Overall presentation
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Name : NURRAATTIAK, the two caribou fawns
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Creator : Céline Petit
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Contributor(s) : Herve PANIAQ, Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada (video)
Abraham ULAAJURULUK, Iglulik. -
Date : 2011-2021
- Information on the string figure
This figure represents two caribou fawns (nurraak), one on each side, facing opposite directions.
It was recorded (with the same meaning) in various Inuit groups, from the Mackenzie delta (Canadian western Arctic) to the west coast of Greenland.
It was recorded (with the same meaning) in various Inuit groups, from the Mackenzie delta (Canadian western Arctic) to the west coast of Greenland.
1. Opening A.
2. Insert 2 distally into 5 loop. 2 hooks down 2f and 5n, and pulls these strings toward the body until proximally entering 1 loop.
3. 2 hooks up 1n and returns with it through 5 loop.
4. 1 rotates toward the center and down, and points away from the body under all strings. 1 picks up 5f and returns with it through the 1 loop.
5. 1 hooks down TV 2n through the 1 loop.
6. 1 passes under all strings, and enters distally 5 loop. 1 picks up 5n and draw it back through the original 1 loop. Keep 1 held down and pointing away from the body.
7. A loop surrounds 1 loop. Rotate 1 so that 1 picks up the far string of this loop and draws it back through the 1 loop, which slips off.
8. Release 2 loops. Extend so that strings part in the center.
Two caribou calves are formed, one on each side, with their backs turned to one another.
For a step by step illustration, see Wirt & al. 2009: 89-90.
2. Insert 2 distally into 5 loop. 2 hooks down 2f and 5n, and pulls these strings toward the body until proximally entering 1 loop.
3. 2 hooks up 1n and returns with it through 5 loop.
4. 1 rotates toward the center and down, and points away from the body under all strings. 1 picks up 5f and returns with it through the 1 loop.
5. 1 hooks down TV 2n through the 1 loop.
6. 1 passes under all strings, and enters distally 5 loop. 1 picks up 5n and draw it back through the original 1 loop. Keep 1 held down and pointing away from the body.
7. A loop surrounds 1 loop. Rotate 1 so that 1 picks up the far string of this loop and draws it back through the 1 loop, which slips off.
8. Release 2 loops. Extend so that strings part in the center.
Two caribou calves are formed, one on each side, with their backs turned to one another.
For a step by step illustration, see Wirt & al. 2009: 89-90.
Paniaq stresses that some moves involved in making this figure are similar or close to the ones used for making KATAGJUK, the entrance. But variations occur.
"Noγäcak, nuγätciak - two young fawns" (Inuvialuit, Mackenzie delta), "nuγätciäk - two young fawns" (Inuinnait, Coronation gulf), Jenness 1924: 70-71, LVII, fig. 78.
"Nugatsiaq - two calves" (Aivilingmiut), Mathiassen 1928: 223.
"Two fawns" (Qairnirmiut), Birket-Smith 1929, I: 279.
"Nurautaik - the dear caribou calves" (Copper), Rasmussen 1932: 274, fig. 8.
"Nokatciäk - the two fawns" (Craig Harbour), "noraq - the two fawns" (Cape York), Paterson 1949: 17, fig. 10.
"Noqaciâk iglugêk - les deux faons de caribou" (Arviligjuarmiut), Mary-Rousselière 1969: 11, fig. 4bis.
"Nugatsiaq - two calves" (Aivilingmiut), Mathiassen 1928: 223.
"Two fawns" (Qairnirmiut), Birket-Smith 1929, I: 279.
"Nurautaik - the dear caribou calves" (Copper), Rasmussen 1932: 274, fig. 8.
"Nokatciäk - the two fawns" (Craig Harbour), "noraq - the two fawns" (Cape York), Paterson 1949: 17, fig. 10.
"Noqaciâk iglugêk - les deux faons de caribou" (Arviligjuarmiut), Mary-Rousselière 1969: 11, fig. 4bis.
Mirror 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)
