USUGJUK, penis
Geolocation
Citation
Céline Petit, “USUGJUK, penis,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/335.
- Overall presentation
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Name : USUGJUK, penis
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Creator : Céline Petit
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Contributor(s) : Herve PANIAQ, Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada
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Date : 2005-2021
- Information on the string figure
In the Iglulik area, this figure represents the male sex organ (usuk). A slight variation in the procedure leads to represent the penis either pointing upward (qummuasarpuq) or downward (ammuasarpuq).
Such a figure -or a similar one- was collected in the 20th century mostly in the Canadian central and eastern Arctic.
Such a figure -or a similar one- was collected in the 20th century mostly in the Canadian central and eastern Arctic.
Usugjuk qummuasarpuq (the penis pointing upward):
1. Position 1. Twist the RH loop one whole turn the following way: R1 passes over R5n, points down and hooks up R5n, rotating towards the body and up. Release R5 loop. R5 proximally enters R1 loop. Spread R1 and R5 wide apart (as in Position 1, but here the loop is twisted, "qipisimalluni").
2. Proceed as in Opening A: R2 picks up L palmar string and returns, L2 enters distally R2 loop, picks up R palmar string and returns.
3. 1 and 345 proximally enter 2 loop. Allow the former 2 loop (now the whole hand loop) to slide down the hand to become a wrist loop.
4. Release 5 loop. 5 enters proximally 1 loop. Spread 1 and 5 wide apart as in Position 1.
5. Proceed as in Opening A.
6. Release the wrist loop (= with 1 and 2, seize and remove the opposite hand's dorsal string, lifting it over the hand). Extend, with fingers pointing away from the body.
This is the penis (USUGJUK) pointing upward.
Usugjuk ammuasarpuq (the penis pointing downward):
Same steps 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 as for making the preceding figure. Only step 4 is different: release 1 loop instead of 5 loop (and 1 then shares 5 loop).
1. Position 1. Twist the RH loop one whole turn the following way: R1 passes over R5n, points down and hooks up R5n, rotating towards the body and up. Release R5 loop. R5 proximally enters R1 loop. Spread R1 and R5 wide apart (as in Position 1, but here the loop is twisted, "qipisimalluni").
2. Proceed as in Opening A: R2 picks up L palmar string and returns, L2 enters distally R2 loop, picks up R palmar string and returns.
3. 1 and 345 proximally enter 2 loop. Allow the former 2 loop (now the whole hand loop) to slide down the hand to become a wrist loop.
4. Release 1 loop. 1 proximally enters 5 loop. Spread 1 and 5 wide apart as in Position 1.
5. Proceed as in Opening A.
6. Release the wrist loop (= with 1 and 2, seize and remove the opposite hand's dorsal string, lifting it over the hand). Extend, with fingers pointing away from the body.
The penis is pointing downward.
1. Position 1. Twist the RH loop one whole turn the following way: R1 passes over R5n, points down and hooks up R5n, rotating towards the body and up. Release R5 loop. R5 proximally enters R1 loop. Spread R1 and R5 wide apart (as in Position 1, but here the loop is twisted, "qipisimalluni").
2. Proceed as in Opening A: R2 picks up L palmar string and returns, L2 enters distally R2 loop, picks up R palmar string and returns.
3. 1 and 345 proximally enter 2 loop. Allow the former 2 loop (now the whole hand loop) to slide down the hand to become a wrist loop.
4. Release 5 loop. 5 enters proximally 1 loop. Spread 1 and 5 wide apart as in Position 1.
5. Proceed as in Opening A.
6. Release the wrist loop (= with 1 and 2, seize and remove the opposite hand's dorsal string, lifting it over the hand). Extend, with fingers pointing away from the body.
This is the penis (USUGJUK) pointing upward.
Usugjuk ammuasarpuq (the penis pointing downward):
Same steps 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 as for making the preceding figure. Only step 4 is different: release 1 loop instead of 5 loop (and 1 then shares 5 loop).
1. Position 1. Twist the RH loop one whole turn the following way: R1 passes over R5n, points down and hooks up R5n, rotating towards the body and up. Release R5 loop. R5 proximally enters R1 loop. Spread R1 and R5 wide apart (as in Position 1, but here the loop is twisted, "qipisimalluni").
2. Proceed as in Opening A: R2 picks up L palmar string and returns, L2 enters distally R2 loop, picks up R palmar string and returns.
3. 1 and 345 proximally enter 2 loop. Allow the former 2 loop (now the whole hand loop) to slide down the hand to become a wrist loop.
4. Release 1 loop. 1 proximally enters 5 loop. Spread 1 and 5 wide apart as in Position 1.
5. Proceed as in Opening A.
6. Release the wrist loop (= with 1 and 2, seize and remove the opposite hand's dorsal string, lifting it over the hand). Extend, with fingers pointing away from the body.
The penis is pointing downward.
"A man's anus and genitalia" (Paallirmiut), Birket-Smith 1929, I: 278, fig. 105h. (Paterson 1949: 45, fig. 154).
"Uhukhuk - penis" (Inuinnait, Coronation gulf), Rasmussen 1932: 277, fig. 24. (Paterson 1949: 45, fig. 163).
"Usurjuk - pénis" (Arviligjuarmiut), Mary-Rousselière 1969: 70-71, fig. 63.
"Baker Lake 9" (Harvaqtuurmiut), from a film by E. Arima ("Caribou Eskimo, Baker Lake" 1969), Claassen 2015: 136-139.
"Uhukhuk - penis" (Inuinnait, Coronation gulf), Rasmussen 1932: 277, fig. 24. (Paterson 1949: 45, fig. 163).
"Usurjuk - pénis" (Arviligjuarmiut), Mary-Rousselière 1969: 70-71, fig. 63.
"Baker Lake 9" (Harvaqtuurmiut), from a film by E. Arima ("Caribou Eskimo, Baker Lake" 1969), Claassen 2015: 136-139.
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)