LLX > Neil Parker > String Figures > Odds & Ends
This Nauruan figure is one of my favorites, and one of the most complex and intricate in [Maude 2001]. It was invented in 1937 by two Nauruans, Simon Quanijo and Ijauwe, and represents Commander Rupert C. Garsia (then the Australian colonial administrator for Nauru) flanked by members of his staff.
Unfortunately, the original method, as described in [Maude 2001] (figure 114), is difficult to do well without an assistant to help adjust the strings...I've never succeeded in getting a good-looking final result using the original method.
That's why I've come up with the new method below. It gives the same result as the original method, but it's quite a bit easier to do solo - with only a little bit of manual rearrangement at the end, I'm able to get a good-looking result most of the time.
This figure requires a long, slippery loop, and a bit of patience.
1. Nauru opening 2.
2. Pass thumbs over index and middle finger loops, and into ring finger loops from below. Return with near ring finger strings.
3. Insert indexes into thumb loops from below, and return with far thumb strings (not the palmar strings). Release thumb loops.
4. Insert thumbs into lower index loops from below. Then pass them over lower far index strings and under all other strings, and pick up far little finger string. Return under other strings, back through lower index loops. Release little finger loops.
5. Transfer upper index loops to thumbs. Then insert little fingers from above into upper thumb loops, and return with upper near thumb strings. Release upper thumb loops.
6. Release index and ring finger loops. (This is easiest to do one hand at a time, assisted by the other hand).
7. Transfer middle finger loops to indexes.
8. With right thumb and index, grab left far index string, a short distance from left index. Make a small loop in it by giving it a half-twist counter-clockwise. Place the small loop over left thumb.
9. With right thumb and index, reach down through small upper left thumb loop, and grab lower left thumb loop. Pull it up through upper loop, and release both loops from left thumb. Replace loop held by right thumb and index onto left thumb.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 on other hand (making the half-twist in the opposite direction).
11. With right thumb and index, left near index string (to the right of the point where left far index string crosses over it). Make a small loop in it by giving a full twist (two half-twists) counter-clockwise. Place small loop over left little finger.
12. Repeat step 9 with left little finger.
13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 on other hand. Push small loops encircling thumb and little finger loops about 2/3 of the way toward the middle.
14. Twist index loops a full twist toward you.
15. With right thumb and index, grab left near index string, a short distance from left index. Make a small loop in it by giving it a half-twist counter-clockwise. Place the small loop over left thumb.
16. Repeat step 9.
17. Repeat steps 15 and 16 on other hand (making the half-twist in the opposite direction).
18. With right thumb and index, grab left far index string. Make a small loop in it by giving a full twist (two half-twists) counter-clockwise. Place small loop over left little finger.
19. Repeat step 9 with left little finger.
20. Repeat steps 18 and 19 on other hand. Push small loops encircling thumb and little finger loops about 1/3 of the way toward the middle.
21. Twist index loops a full twist away from you.
22. Eongatubabo (through index loops).
Some manual adjustment of the strings may be necessary to enlarge the central shape and space the loops out evenly.
The figure after step 6 is [Jayne 1906]'s figure 840 ("Egarawinago; a lady of quality"). It can be displayed nicely as follows:
6a. Insert indexes from above into thumb loops, and return with near thumb strings. Release thumb loops.
6b. Pass thumbs under index and middle finger loops, and insert into little finger loops from below. Return with near little finger strings and both middle finger strings.
6c. Insert thumbs into index loops from below, and return with near index strings.
6d. Caroline extension.
Reversing these four steps brings the figure back to the state after step 6, at which point you can go on to finish Administration Staffs.