BE MKOR BE, a shark running towards another shark

Geolocation

Relations

Item Relations

Item: IM AN KINKIN, the house of Kinkin related through common consecutive operations (sub-procedure): This Item

Graphical representation of this item’s relations

Citation

Eric Vandendriessche and Agnès Henri, “BE MKOR BE, a shark running towards another shark,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/70.
  • Overall presentation

  • Name : BE MKOR BE, a shark running towards another shark

  • Creator : Eric Vandendriessche and Agnès Henri

  • Contributor(s) : Mata village of Fonah, North Ambrym, Vanuatu
    Jaeck, village of Melvat, North Ambrym, Vanuatu

  • Date : 2016-2017


  • Information on the string figure

    • General presentation of the string figure

    Each design on both sides of the string figure represents a shark. There are a male and a female shark respectively. When extending the string, the practitioner moves mostly the right hand, consequently the part representing the male shark does not move, whereas the part representing the female shark shrinks. This is perceived as the male dominance over female.

    Construction method (ISFA)

    1. Opening A
    2. Proximally, transfer 2 loops to w.
    3. Distally, insert 2 into 5 loops, hook up 5n.
    4. Distally, insert 2 into 1 loops, pick up 1f. Release 1.
    5. Proximally, transfer 2 loops to 1. Transfer w loops to palms.
    6. Distally, insert 2 into 5 loops, hook up 5n.
    7. Distally, insert 2 into 1 loops, pick up 1f. Release 5.
    8. Distally, transfer 2 loops to 5.
    9. 2 hook up TV string. Turn palms away. Release 1 and extend.

    Construction method (symbolic writing)

    $\underline{O}.A:\underline{TF}(w,2\infty):\overline{i}2(5\infty):\overline{h}2(5n):\overline{i}2(1\infty) : p2(1f):r1:\underline{TF}(1,2\infty):\overline{TF}(pa,w\infty):\overline{i}2(5\infty):\overline{h}2(5n) :\overline{i}2(1\infty):p2(1f):r5:\overline{TF}(5,2\infty):\overline{h}2(tv):vr^{+}(H):r1\mid$

    Heart-sequence

    $\underline{O}.A : < \underrightarrow {1\infty }\uparrow(5\infty) : \underrightarrow {1f}\uparrow(5\infty) : \underleftarrow{1f}\uparrow(2\infty) : r 5 :\begin{array}{ c c }\overleftarrow{2\infty} \rightarrow 1: \overleftarrow{1f} \rightarrow 2 \end{array} : >\overrightarrow{2\infty} \rightarrow 5 : ext \mid$

    Mathematical concepts involved

    Iterative sub-procedure : steps 3-4 and 6-7
  • Item references

  • Key words : String figures, Ambrym Island (Vanuatu)

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

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

  • Format : jpeg, mp4, eaf

  • Language : Bislama, North Ambrym language

  • Location : Village of Fonah, North Ambrym, Vanuatu, South Pacific

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

Output Formats