TUPIRJUK, tent
Geolocation
Relations
Item Relations
| This Item | (Often) part of the same series as | Item: PUAQRISI / PUAQRIJAUTI, snow shovel |
| Item: PUAQRISI / PUAQRIJAUTI, snow shovel | (Often) part of the same series as : | This Item |
Graphical representation of this item’s relations
Citation
Céline Petit, “TUPIRJUK, tent,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/343.
- Overall presentation
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Name : TUPIRJUK, tent
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Creator : Céline Petit
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Contributor(s) : Herve PANIAQ, Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada
Susan AVINNGAQ, Iglulik
Madeleine AUQSAQ, Iglulik
Margaret Sunak KIPSIGAQ, Iglulik
Mary Niriungniq QULIKTALIK, Iglulik -
Date : 2004-2021
- Information on the string figure
In the Iglulik area, this string figure represents a tent (tupiq). A continuation of this figure is generally performed, leading to a figure known as the snow shovel, PUAQRISI or PUAQRIJAUTI.
The figure of the tent was recorded in many different Inuit groups, either with this meaning (in the Canadian Arctic or central regions of the Inuit continuum), or under a name referring to a bird spear/dart (in Alaska and in Greenland). In these last cases, the transformation of the figure is said to lead to the figure of the launched (bird) spear, or to the throwing stick.
The figure of the tent (or bird spear) appears as one of the most widespread in/throughout Inuit societies. It is often described as quite a simple string figure, which was thus one of the first taught to the children.
A method for making "the tent" (TUPIRJUK) through the transformation of the figure ITIRJUK (the anus) is also known by Iglulingmiut (see method 2). This method leads however to a quite different pattern than the one reached with method 1.
The figure of the tent was recorded in many different Inuit groups, either with this meaning (in the Canadian Arctic or central regions of the Inuit continuum), or under a name referring to a bird spear/dart (in Alaska and in Greenland). In these last cases, the transformation of the figure is said to lead to the figure of the launched (bird) spear, or to the throwing stick.
The figure of the tent (or bird spear) appears as one of the most widespread in/throughout Inuit societies. It is often described as quite a simple string figure, which was thus one of the first taught to the children.
A method for making "the tent" (TUPIRJUK) through the transformation of the figure ITIRJUK (the anus) is also known by Iglulingmiut (see method 2). This method leads however to a quite different pattern than the one reached with method 1.
Method 1:
1. Position 1.
2. R2 passes over L palmar string and hooks it up, rotating away from the body and up then towards the body and up, two to four times. Extend to the right.
3. L2 enters R2 loop distally (= from above) and picks up the R palmar string, returning then through R2 loop. Extend.
4. Release R1 and R5 loops, and extend while turning hands so that the palm of the LH faces upward and the palm of the RH faces downward. This is the tent, TUPIRJUK.
To transform the tent into the snow shovel, PUAQRISI (PUAQRIJAUTI):
5. Release R2 loop. R2 removes L2 loop from L2, by seizing L2n and pulling it to the right. Insert R345, from the far side, into R2 loop while extending. The sliding loop (with a triangular shape) is the snow shovel.
To transform the snow shovel (PUAQRISI) into the tent, TUPIRJUK:
6. Proximally transfer the RH loop to (the tip of) L2. With L1 and L2, grasp the string running on the far side between L1n and L5f, and pull it to the right. Extend and turn hands so that the LH palm faces upward, and the RH palm faces downward. This is the tent (TUPIRJUK) once again.
Method 2:
Make ITIRJUK, the anus.
Notice that there is a string running on the near side, crossing over the R1f and the R5n strings.
From the far side, proximally transfer both R2 loops to L2.
With R1 and R2, grasp the string running between the R1f and the R5n strings, and pull it to the right, between L2 distal loop and L2 proximal loop.
This is another figure of TUPIRJUK, the tent.
1. Position 1.
2. R2 passes over L palmar string and hooks it up, rotating away from the body and up then towards the body and up, two to four times. Extend to the right.
3. L2 enters R2 loop distally (= from above) and picks up the R palmar string, returning then through R2 loop. Extend.
4. Release R1 and R5 loops, and extend while turning hands so that the palm of the LH faces upward and the palm of the RH faces downward. This is the tent, TUPIRJUK.
To transform the tent into the snow shovel, PUAQRISI (PUAQRIJAUTI):
5. Release R2 loop. R2 removes L2 loop from L2, by seizing L2n and pulling it to the right. Insert R345, from the far side, into R2 loop while extending. The sliding loop (with a triangular shape) is the snow shovel.
To transform the snow shovel (PUAQRISI) into the tent, TUPIRJUK:
6. Proximally transfer the RH loop to (the tip of) L2. With L1 and L2, grasp the string running on the far side between L1n and L5f, and pull it to the right. Extend and turn hands so that the LH palm faces upward, and the RH palm faces downward. This is the tent (TUPIRJUK) once again.
Method 2:
Make ITIRJUK, the anus.
Notice that there is a string running on the near side, crossing over the R1f and the R5n strings.
From the far side, proximally transfer both R2 loops to L2.
With R1 and R2, grasp the string running between the R1f and the R5n strings, and pull it to the right, between L2 distal loop and L2 proximal loop.
This is another figure of TUPIRJUK, the tent.
"Nuyaqpαk - the duck spear" followed by "nuyaγαna aqaväγa - he has launched his duck spear" (Barrow, northern Alaska), "tupiq - tent" followed by "poäλ·äγin - snow shovel" (Coronation gulf, Canada), Jenness 1924: 162, CXLII, fig. 213. Slightly different method. (See Wirt & al. 2009: 238-239).
"The tent" (Paallirmiut), Birket-Smith 1929, I: 279.
"Tuper(sh)uk" (Coronation gulf), Rasmussen 1932: 282.
"Tupεr(sh)kuk - like a tent", followed by "poakisiղ - snow shovel" (Craig Harbour-Tununirmiut), "tup·εk - tent" (Cape York), "nufit - the bird dart", followed in some parts by "nɔrsaq - the throwing board" or "niva·taq - the snow shovel" (Upernavik), "nufit - the bird dart", followed by "nɔrsaq - the throwing board" (Ubekendt Island, Egedesminde), "nukit - bird dart" (Angmagssalik), Paterson 1949: 21-22, fig. 19a, the bird dart.
"Tuperjuk - la tente" (Arviligjuarmiut), Mary-Rousselière 1969: 73-74, fig. 66.
"The tent" (Paallirmiut), Birket-Smith 1929, I: 279.
"Tuper(sh)uk" (Coronation gulf), Rasmussen 1932: 282.
"Tupεr(sh)kuk - like a tent", followed by "poakisiղ - snow shovel" (Craig Harbour-Tununirmiut), "tup·εk - tent" (Cape York), "nufit - the bird dart", followed in some parts by "nɔrsaq - the throwing board" or "niva·taq - the snow shovel" (Upernavik), "nufit - the bird dart", followed by "nɔrsaq - the throwing board" (Ubekendt Island, Egedesminde), "nukit - bird dart" (Angmagssalik), Paterson 1949: 21-22, fig. 19a, the bird dart.
"Tuperjuk - la tente" (Arviligjuarmiut), Mary-Rousselière 1969: 73-74, fig. 66.
- 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)