TUBUM, incetuous relationship

Geolocation

Citation

Eric Vandendriessche, “TUBUM, incetuous relationship,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/353.
  • Overall presentation

  • Name : TUBUM, incetuous relationship

  • Creator : Eric Vandendriessche

  • 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

    • General presentation of the string figure

    The term "tubum" refers to "a boy sleeping with his grandmother (bubu)". The same string figure is known as "kwetabum" in the village of Wabutuma. The latter string figure is accompanied by a "vinavina" (oral text) which clearly evokes this incestuous relationship. Although not comparable to the sister-brother incest taboo—which is the supreme one (Malinowski 1929 : 437, Weiner 1988 : 76)—as noted by Malinowski, "the maternal grandmother and her grandson are also sexually forbidden to each other, but there is no horror about this relationship, such incest appearing as a merely ridiculous possibility (1929 : 441)."

    Construction method (ISFA)

    1. Opening A
    2. 1 pass proximal to both 1 and 2 loops, then, proximally, insert 1 into 5 loops. 1 hook up proximal 5f and return.
    Release 5 and Extend.
    3. Proximally, insert 543 into 2 loops and hook down 2f. Distally, insert 2 into distal and proximal 1 loops, hook up both 1n and return.
    Release 543 and extend.
    4. 5 pick up the transverse 1n. Release 1.
    5. 1 pick up the transverse 2n. Release 2 and extend. Distally, insert 2 into 5 loops and hook up 5n. Release 1 and extend.
  • Item references

  • Key words : String figures, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea

  • Publisher : Laboratory SPHERE (UMR 7219, University of Paris & CNRS)

  • Rights : Creative Commons / Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA

  • Format : jpeg, mp4

  • Language : English, Kilivila

  • Location : Village of Oluvilei, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea

  • Description : Trobriand string figure, method of construction, linguistic data, cultural aspects

Output Formats