TUKTURJUK, the caribou
Geolocation
Relations
Item Relations
| Item: TUKTURJUK INNARUMIITTURJUK / KINGALLAAGU, a caribou on the hillside | related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): | This Item |
| Item: UKALIARJUTTIAQ / UKALIARJUK, the arctic hare or rabbit | related through similar or identical final pattern (with a different construction): | This Item |
Graphical representation of this item’s relations
Citation
Céline Petit, “TUKTURJUK, the caribou,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/329.
- Overall presentation
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Name : TUKTURJUK, the caribou
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Creator : Céline Petit
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Contributor(s) : Herve PANIAQ, Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada (video)
Mary Niriungniq QULIKTALIK, Iglulik (picture)
Margaret Sunak KIPSIGAK, Iglulik
Elisapi NUTARAKITTUQ, Iglulik
Abraham ULAAJURULUK, Iglulik
Susan AVINNGAQ, Iglulik
Elisapi AWA, Iglulik
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Date : 2005-2021
- Information on the string figure
This figure depicts a caribou (tuktu). It is usually animated in such a way that the caribou is shown galloping, getting smaller and smaller until disappearing (either because it ran away or since it was shot by the hunter).
This figure was documented in many other Inuit areas, mostly with the same meaning ("caribou", except in Utqiagvik/Barrow and in northern Inland Alaska, where it is said to represent a hare). This is one of the most widespread string figures of the Inuit continuum. As the term "tukturjuk" also refers to the constellation of the Big Dipper, this string figure is sometimes understood as representing this constellation as well.
Many Iglulingmiut elders stress that the pattern involved in TUKTURJUK is similar to the one known as UKALIARJUTTIAQ/UKALIRJUK, the hare. The two figures are however obtained through different methods of construction ("ajjigittia tautungit kisiani sanangit ajjigiinngit&utik").
This figure was documented in many other Inuit areas, mostly with the same meaning ("caribou", except in Utqiagvik/Barrow and in northern Inland Alaska, where it is said to represent a hare). This is one of the most widespread string figures of the Inuit continuum. As the term "tukturjuk" also refers to the constellation of the Big Dipper, this string figure is sometimes understood as representing this constellation as well.
Many Iglulingmiut elders stress that the pattern involved in TUKTURJUK is similar to the one known as UKALIARJUTTIAQ/UKALIRJUK, the hare. The two figures are however obtained through different methods of construction ("ajjigittia tautungit kisiani sanangit ajjigiinngit&utik").
1. Opening A.
2. R2 rotates away from the body over R5 loop, around R5f, and pointing towards the body, R2 proximally enters R1 loop. R2 hooks up TV 1n, rotating away from the body and up. Release R1 loop.
3. Twist both R2 loops a full turn away from the body (= R2 only rotates with its loops away from the body, over R5 loop, with R2 first bent/hooked then pointing up again).
4. R1 proximally passes through R2 loops. R1 and R2 grasp L2n and remove the L2 loop. Allow the double loop around R1 and R2 to slip off onto the single loop held between R1 and R2.
5. Release L1 loop and place the loop held between R1 and R2 over L1. Distally (= from the far side) insert R234 into R5 loop. Remove R5 and distally insert R5 into R234 loop. Spread apart the RH strings and extend with the finger of LH pointing away from the body. This is TUKTURJUK, a caribou. Sway the RH to make it gallop (and then disappear) towards the left.
See Wirt & al. 2009: 41-42 for a step by step illustration.
3.
2. R2 rotates away from the body over R5 loop, around R5f, and pointing towards the body, R2 proximally enters R1 loop. R2 hooks up TV 1n, rotating away from the body and up. Release R1 loop.
3. Twist both R2 loops a full turn away from the body (= R2 only rotates with its loops away from the body, over R5 loop, with R2 first bent/hooked then pointing up again).
4. R1 proximally passes through R2 loops. R1 and R2 grasp L2n and remove the L2 loop. Allow the double loop around R1 and R2 to slip off onto the single loop held between R1 and R2.
5. Release L1 loop and place the loop held between R1 and R2 over L1. Distally (= from the far side) insert R234 into R5 loop. Remove R5 and distally insert R5 into R234 loop. Spread apart the RH strings and extend with the finger of LH pointing away from the body. This is TUKTURJUK, a caribou. Sway the RH to make it gallop (and then disappear) towards the left.
See Wirt & al. 2009: 41-42 for a step by step illustration.
3.
"Tuktuqdjung - caribou" (Cumberland Sound, Canada), Boas.
"Tuktuk - caribou" (Saint Michael, Alaska), Gordon 1906: 92-93, fig. 15.
"The caribou" (northern Alaskan coast to Coronation gulf) or "the rabbit, ukaliq" (Barrow and Inland northern Alaska, Inupiat), Jenness 1924: 34-35, XXIV, fig. 31. Same method. A chant was uttered by the Nunamiut (northern Inland Alaska) when obtaining the figure: it refers to a rabbit that is shot and then skinned (cf. Jenness 1924: 35).
"Tugtunguaq - caribou" (Aivilingmiut), Mathiassen 1928: 222.
"Caribou [or hare]", (Qairnirmiut), Birket-Smith I, 1929: 279.
"Tugtɔrjuk - caribou", Rasmussen 1932: 281, fig. 15.
"The caribou", Paterson 1949: 16-17, fig. 7.
"Tukto - caribou" (Inughuit, northwestern Greenland), Holtved 1967: 136, nr. 7.
"Tuktorjuk - le caribou" (Arviligjuarmiut), Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 7, fig. 1.
"Tugtoq - the reindeer" (Upernavik), Hansen 1974, fig. 1.
"Tuttujuq - caribou" (Kangirsujuaq), Saladin d'Anglure 2003: 95, fig. 22.
"Tuktuk - caribou" (Saint Michael, Alaska), Gordon 1906: 92-93, fig. 15.
"The caribou" (northern Alaskan coast to Coronation gulf) or "the rabbit, ukaliq" (Barrow and Inland northern Alaska, Inupiat), Jenness 1924: 34-35, XXIV, fig. 31. Same method. A chant was uttered by the Nunamiut (northern Inland Alaska) when obtaining the figure: it refers to a rabbit that is shot and then skinned (cf. Jenness 1924: 35).
"Tugtunguaq - caribou" (Aivilingmiut), Mathiassen 1928: 222.
"Caribou [or hare]", (Qairnirmiut), Birket-Smith I, 1929: 279.
"Tugtɔrjuk - caribou", Rasmussen 1932: 281, fig. 15.
"The caribou", Paterson 1949: 16-17, fig. 7.
"Tukto - caribou" (Inughuit, northwestern Greenland), Holtved 1967: 136, nr. 7.
"Tuktorjuk - le caribou" (Arviligjuarmiut), Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 7, fig. 1.
"Tugtoq - the reindeer" (Upernavik), Hansen 1974, fig. 1.
"Tuttujuq - caribou" (Kangirsujuaq), Saladin d'Anglure 2003: 95, fig. 22.
Translation.
- 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)