LLX > Neil Parker > String Figures > Jayne
The openings and finishing sequences described below are found in many Nauruan figures.
1. Opening A.
2. Transfer index loops to middle fingers, and thumb loops to indexes.
3. Insert left thumb from above into right index loop. Rotate it toward you and up, thus picking up the near index string and wrapping it around the left thumb. Insert right thumb from below into left thumb loop.
1. Opening A.
2. Insert ring fingers from below into index loops, and pick up far index strings.
3. With middle fingers, pick up strings lying across bases of opposite middle fingers, as in Opening A.
This sequence of moves is used to finish many Nauruan figures. It usually has the effect of flanking the central shape of the figure with a double (or more)-walled lozenge on each side. The preceding moves will have left a loop on each thumb, index, and little finger, and sometimes there will be loops on other fingers as well.
Eongatubabo can be described as being done through one or more other loops. If the instructions don't mention which loop it should be done through, then it should be done through the index loops.
1. Insert thumbs from above through indicated loop. If more than one loop is indicated, the thumbs should be woven through each loop, one at a time, in the order indicated. Then, with thumbs pointing away from you, press down on the near strings of the loop(s) (and any other intervening strings between the thumbs and the indicated loop(s)).
2. Insert indexes into little finger loops from above, and keeping the indexes pointing downward, bring them toward you, picking up the near little finger string, and all other strings, except far little finger string and near thumb string, not being held down by thumbs.
3. Bring indexes over near thumb strings onto the near side, and turn them away from you into the thumb loops (proximally), and up, picking up near thumb strings, and allowing the strings picked up in step 2 to slip off.
4. With backs of thumbs, pick up far little finger string and bring it forward, above strings being held down, and below all other strings. As the thumbs return, the original thumb loops, and the strings held down since step 1, slip off.
5. Release little fingers, transfer upper index loops to thumbs, insert little fingers from above into upper thumb loops, and return with upper near thumb string. Release upper loop from thumbs.
6. Release all loops except for thumbs and little fingers.
7. Insert indexes into thumb loops from above, and return with near thumb string. Release thumbs.
8. Pass thumbs under index loops, and insert into little finger loops from below. Pick up near little finger strings, and then insert thumbs into index loops from below and pick up near index strings.
In step 5, transferring the index loops to the thumbs isn't really necessary - the little fingers can easily pick up the upper near index string directly. Transferring the index loops to the thumbs makes the step slightly slower, but also slightly easier to do.
This sequences of moves is used to finish many Nauruan figures. The same ending is found in many figures from the Gilbert Islands (see [Maude 1958]), and variations of it are found on several other South Pacific islands. It usually has the effect of flanking the central shape with a lozenge and a half-lozenge on each side, bisected by a long horizontal loop. The preceding moves will have left a loop on each thumb, index, and little finger, and sometimes there will be loops on other fingers as well.
1. Transfer thumb loops to indexes.
2. Pass thumbs through lower index loops from above, and under middle and ring finger loops (if any), and into little finger loops from below. Pick up near little finger string, and return with it through the lower index loop. Release little fingers.
3. Transfer upper index loops to thumbs.
4. Pass index, middle, ring, and little fingers forward over index and thumb loops, and passing them back away between upper and lower near thumb strings, pick up lower near thumb string. Straighten the fingers, lifting the lower thumb loops off the thumbs (but leaving the upper thumb loops in place) and turning them over in the process.
5. Transfer index-middle-ring-little finger loops to thumbs.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Twist (double) thumb loops a full twist toward you.
8. With the right middle finger, push the right near index string down through the (double) right thumb loop from above, and catch it with the teeth. Then grab the right far index string with the teeth too, and release the right index.
9. Transfer (double) right thumb loop to right little finger, and insert right thumb from below into loops held by the teeth. Release the teeth.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 on the left hand.
11. Insert indexes into little finger loops from above, and pick up (double) near little finger strings, closer to the middle of the figure than the point where the thumb loops loop around them.
12. Caroline Extension.
In New Zealand, the Maoris use just the index fingers for steps 3 and 4. I always do it the Maori way, because it feels much less clumsy. I also prefer to use the thumb and index finger of my other hand instead of my teeth for steps 7 through 9.
This sequence of moves is a continuation of Amwangiyo, and it often, but not always, follows it in Nauruan figures. It converts the leftmost and rightmost half-lozenges of Amwangio into full lozenges, for a vaguely Jacob's-Ladder-like effect.
1. Release thumb loops.
2. There are two far index strings: one going straight across from one index to the other, and one going down into the nearest lozenge. With the right middle finger, push the right far index string that goes straight across under the other right far index string, and catch it with the teeth. Release right index loops.
3. Similarly, there are two far little finger strings: one going straight across from one little finger to the other, and one going up into the nearest lozenge. Pass the right index from above into the right little finger loop. Pick up the right far little finger string that goes into the rightmost lozenge, and keeping the index pointing downward, pass it away from you over the little finger string that goes straight across. Then turn the right index toward you and up, picking up the straight-across string and letting the original right index loop slip off. Release right little finger loops.
4. Transfer the right index loop to the right thumb and little finger, as in Position 1. Then pass the right thumb from above into the loop held by the teeth, and release the teeth loop and straighten the thumb.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 on the left hand.
6. Insert indexes from below into thumb loops and pick up far thumb strings (not the palmar strings).
In step 2, I prefer to catch the index string on my thumb instead of with my teeth. This necessitates a few changes to the rest of the procedure, but it make it possible to do it on both hands simultaneously.
LLX > Neil Parker > String Figures > Jayne