TULUGARJUK, raven
Relations
Item Relations
| This Item | (Often) part of the same series as | Item: QIMMIARJUK, the (dog) pup |
| Item: QIMMIARJUK, the (dog) pup | Transformation of the following string figure: | This Item |
| Item: NUVUJATTIAQ, the cloud | Part of the following string figure series | This Item |
| Item: ANARUATTIAQ, the (dog's) excrement | Part of the following string figure series | This Item |
| Item: QIMMIARJUK, the (dog) pup | Part of the following string figure series | This Item |
Graphical representation of this item’s relations
Citation
Céline Petit, “TULUGARJUK, raven,” String figures, accessed February 24, 2026, https://stringfigures.huma-num.fr/items/show/78.
- Overall presentation
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Name : TULUGARJUK, raven
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Creator : Céline Petit
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Contributor(s) : Herve PANIAQ, Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada
Leetia QAUNAQ, Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada -
Date : 2005-2018
- Information on the string figure
This string game consists in a series of four figures, the first one presented being the raven (tulugaq, TULUGARJUK). This figure is transformed to give place to the figure of the dog (qimmiq, QIMMIRJUK) or pup (qimmiaq, QIMMIARJUK), which is followed by the figure of the big cloud (NUVUJATTIAQ, "juvujuvujattiaq"...). It is then transformed into a last figure which represents the dog's poop (anaq, anaruaq, ANARUATTIAQ), and is made to move as the excrement is rolling.
According to Iglulingmiut elders, this string game depicts a raven that makes sound (qau! qau!) and flies away when a dog/pup comes around; the raven goes through a big cloud, and the dog's ordure rolls down or away.
Since the late 19th century, this string game has been collected under similar names -all referring to the raven- among Yupiit and Inuit groups in Siberia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. It appears as one of the most ancient and widespread string game known in the 'Inuit area'. The accompanying words documented since the 1910s are remarkably similar (with slight variations) throughout different Inuit societies. They mostly refer to a raven which is made to fly away by a dog or a fox, then passes over or under a cloud (or some fog). In the Iglulingmiut oral tradition, and more largely in the Canadian Eastern Inuit mythology, the raven is said to be responsible for bringing light to earth (through its words "qau, qau !" - "light, light!"). Iglulingmiut tales also portray raven (Tulugaq) as being inclined to eat excrement and human flesh. Among Inuit peoples of Alaska and the western Arctic, raven appears as a more significant figure of the mythology, with the features of a creator.
According to Iglulingmiut elders, this string game depicts a raven that makes sound (qau! qau!) and flies away when a dog/pup comes around; the raven goes through a big cloud, and the dog's ordure rolls down or away.
Since the late 19th century, this string game has been collected under similar names -all referring to the raven- among Yupiit and Inuit groups in Siberia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. It appears as one of the most ancient and widespread string game known in the 'Inuit area'. The accompanying words documented since the 1910s are remarkably similar (with slight variations) throughout different Inuit societies. They mostly refer to a raven which is made to fly away by a dog or a fox, then passes over or under a cloud (or some fog). In the Iglulingmiut oral tradition, and more largely in the Canadian Eastern Inuit mythology, the raven is said to be responsible for bringing light to earth (through its words "qau, qau !" - "light, light!"). Iglulingmiut tales also portray raven (Tulugaq) as being inclined to eat excrement and human flesh. Among Inuit peoples of Alaska and the western Arctic, raven appears as a more significant figure of the mythology, with the features of a creator.
1. Opening A.
2. Pass 4 distally down into 5 loop, then toward you under 2 loop and proximally up into the 1 loop; hook up 1n on the sides of 2 and draw it back through the 5 loop, raising 4 back up to position. Release 1 loop and extend.
3. Bend 4 down into the 5 loop without releasing the 4 loop and hold 4 to the palm. Bend 5 down and release the 5f string causing it to become a 4f string. There are now two loops on 4. Raise 5 and proximally pass it down into the 4 loop and hold 345 against the palm.
4. Insert 1 distally down into 2 loop then distally up into 45 loops. Return with near 45 strings on the back of 1 and release 2 loop.
5. Bend R2 towards you over double R1n, then rotate R2 back to position, placing the R1n strings on back of R2 with half a twist. Bend L2 down into L1 loops and rotate L2 away and back to position, picking up the continuation of the two strings that R2 picked up. Release 1 loops. Remove 4 from the figure.
6. Proximally insert L1 into L2 loops, then rotate L1 down and back to position, picking up the two palmar strings after they pass through L2 loops.
7. Proximally insert R1 into L1 loops, close to L1. Extend, then proximally insert 1 into 2 loops. Treat each pair of loops on 1 as if they are one string. Navajo 1, then release 2 loops.
8. Insert L2 towards you through the triangle at the center of the figure, then bring L2 down on the far side of the doubled transversal 5f string, and hook this doubled string back through the triangular space. Bring L2 down through L1 loops, keeping the finger pointing down.
9. Remove R5 from the figure, pass it to the left under all strings and distally into L2 loops, and hook back the doubled strings around L2. Release L2 from the figure.
10. Close R5 to the right hand palm. Extend the figure forming the figure of RAVEN (TULUGARJUK).
The head of the raven may need to be enlarged by putting R3 and R4 through the space below the neck and spreading the strings apart.
This figure is then usually transformed into the figure of a dog (QIMMIRJUK) or a pup (QIMMIARJUK) :
11. Distally transfer TV 1n to 2. Release R5 loops. Rotate R2 away, down and point R2 toward you, under the figure forming the pup, QIMMIARJUK.
12. Release L5 loops. Rotate R2 away and up to the upright position to form the cloud, NUVUJATTIAQ.
13. Release L2 loop and insert L2 proximally into L1 loop and extend : this represents the pup's ordure (ANARUATTIAQ).
See Wirt et al. 2009: 45-47 for detailed step-by-step illustration.
2. Pass 4 distally down into 5 loop, then toward you under 2 loop and proximally up into the 1 loop; hook up 1n on the sides of 2 and draw it back through the 5 loop, raising 4 back up to position. Release 1 loop and extend.
3. Bend 4 down into the 5 loop without releasing the 4 loop and hold 4 to the palm. Bend 5 down and release the 5f string causing it to become a 4f string. There are now two loops on 4. Raise 5 and proximally pass it down into the 4 loop and hold 345 against the palm.
4. Insert 1 distally down into 2 loop then distally up into 45 loops. Return with near 45 strings on the back of 1 and release 2 loop.
5. Bend R2 towards you over double R1n, then rotate R2 back to position, placing the R1n strings on back of R2 with half a twist. Bend L2 down into L1 loops and rotate L2 away and back to position, picking up the continuation of the two strings that R2 picked up. Release 1 loops. Remove 4 from the figure.
6. Proximally insert L1 into L2 loops, then rotate L1 down and back to position, picking up the two palmar strings after they pass through L2 loops.
7. Proximally insert R1 into L1 loops, close to L1. Extend, then proximally insert 1 into 2 loops. Treat each pair of loops on 1 as if they are one string. Navajo 1, then release 2 loops.
8. Insert L2 towards you through the triangle at the center of the figure, then bring L2 down on the far side of the doubled transversal 5f string, and hook this doubled string back through the triangular space. Bring L2 down through L1 loops, keeping the finger pointing down.
9. Remove R5 from the figure, pass it to the left under all strings and distally into L2 loops, and hook back the doubled strings around L2. Release L2 from the figure.
10. Close R5 to the right hand palm. Extend the figure forming the figure of RAVEN (TULUGARJUK).
The head of the raven may need to be enlarged by putting R3 and R4 through the space below the neck and spreading the strings apart.
This figure is then usually transformed into the figure of a dog (QIMMIRJUK) or a pup (QIMMIARJUK) :
11. Distally transfer TV 1n to 2. Release R5 loops. Rotate R2 away, down and point R2 toward you, under the figure forming the pup, QIMMIARJUK.
12. Release L5 loops. Rotate R2 away and up to the upright position to form the cloud, NUVUJATTIAQ.
13. Release L2 loop and insert L2 proximally into L1 loop and extend : this represents the pup's ordure (ANARUATTIAQ).
See Wirt et al. 2009: 45-47 for detailed step-by-step illustration.
"Qau, qau! Qimmiata tiggivaa, jugujuviaruttiaq qulaupaa, anauvarjua sikpuq, sikpuq, sikpuq !"
Upvaluunniit [or] :
"Qimmia tatiksivaa, jurujuruattiaq qulaupaa, anarupaq (..) aksa aksa aksa quuq!"
Upvaluunniit [or] :
"Qimmia tatiksivaa, jurujuruattiaq qulaupaa, anarupaq (..) aksa aksa aksa quuq!"
"The raven", Jenness 1924: 36-39, XXVII, fig. 33 (collected among Siberian Yupiks, Iñupiat, western and eastern Canadian Inuit).
"Tuluarssuk" (Aivilingmiut, Tununirmiut, Canada), Mathiassen 1928: 222.
"The raven", Paterson 1949: 16, 6 (6a).
"Tulugarjuk - le corbeau" (Arviligjuarmiut, Canada), Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 48, fig. 42.
"Tuluarssuk" (Aivilingmiut, Tununirmiut, Canada), Mathiassen 1928: 222.
"The raven", Paterson 1949: 16, 6 (6a).
"Tulugarjuk - le corbeau" (Arviligjuarmiut, Canada), Mary-Rousselière 1969 : 48, fig. 42.
Transformation, translation (slide).
- 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 4.0 International License
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Relation : Item original
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Format : If it is available, you can see the video with subtitles by clicking here
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Language : Inuktitut, English
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Location : Iglulik (Igloolik), Nunavut, Canada
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Description : Description of the string figure representing a raven among the Inuit of the Iglulik area (Nunavut, Canada): symbolism, method of construction, references to the same figure as collected within different Inuit groups (Alaska, Canada, Greenland).