GUYAU BOLU GUYILAVA, chief-cup-chief's wife
Geolocation
Citation
Eric Vandendriessche, “GUYAU BOLU GUYILAVA, chief-cup-chief's wife,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/350.
- Overall presentation
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Name : GUYAU BOLU GUYILAVA, chief-cup-chief's wife
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Creator : Eric Vandendriessche
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Contributor(s) : Morubikina, village of Oluvilei, Trobriand islands, Papua New Guinea
Bowelogusa, village of Oluvilei, Trobriand islands, Papua New Guinea -
Date : 2006-2007
- Information on the string figure
The string figure procedure "guyau - bolu - guyavila" refers to an important prescription. guyau means "chief", guyavila is the wife of the chief, and bolu is a bowl or cup. As pointed out by the chief of Oluvilei (Tolobuwa), every chief on the Trobriands owns a bowl, that he only can use, while his wife is the only one allowed to pour water or soup into it. According to Tolobuwa, this is this rule which is underlined – and thus called to memory – in the string figure called guyau - bolu - guyavila.
1. Opening M4
2. Distally, insert 4 into 5 loops, pick up 5f and return to position. Release 5 loops.
3. Distally, insert 5 into 4 loops. Pass 5 proximal to all intermediate strings towards you, pick up 1n and return to position. Release 1.
4. Distally, insert 1 into 2 loops. Pass 1 proximal to all strings away from you, pick up 5f and return to position.
5. Pass 5 towards you distal to 4 and 3 loops, and 2f, pick up 2n at the center of the figure and return to position. Navaho 5.
6. L1 and L2 grasp both R5n and R1f. Release right hand. Proximally, insert R5 into the former R1 loop and R1 into the former R1 and R5 loops.
7. Repeat on the left hand. Extend and untie the strings.
8. Caroline extension.
Opening M4:
- Make a small loop as for Opening M. Transfer the small loop to a great toe. Take up the long loop into Position I.
- R2 picks up the left palmar string and return.
- Distally, insert L2 into R2 loop, pick up the right palmar string and return.
- Release 1.
- Release toe loop. Extend.
2. Distally, insert 4 into 5 loops, pick up 5f and return to position. Release 5 loops.
3. Distally, insert 5 into 4 loops. Pass 5 proximal to all intermediate strings towards you, pick up 1n and return to position. Release 1.
4. Distally, insert 1 into 2 loops. Pass 1 proximal to all strings away from you, pick up 5f and return to position.
5. Pass 5 towards you distal to 4 and 3 loops, and 2f, pick up 2n at the center of the figure and return to position. Navaho 5.
6. L1 and L2 grasp both R5n and R1f. Release right hand. Proximally, insert R5 into the former R1 loop and R1 into the former R1 and R5 loops.
7. Repeat on the left hand. Extend and untie the strings.
8. Caroline extension.
Opening M4:
- Make a small loop as for Opening M. Transfer the small loop to a great toe. Take up the long loop into Position I.
- R2 picks up the left palmar string and return.
- Distally, insert L2 into R2 loop, pick up the right palmar string and return.
- Release 1.
- Release toe loop. Extend.
- Item references
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Key words : String figures, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea
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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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Format : jpeg, mp4
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Language : English, Kilivila
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Location : Village of Oluvilei, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea
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Description : Trobriand string figure, method of construction, linguistic data, cultural aspects