The Nauruan figures as shown in Jayne's book
Nauru is a tiny Pacific island that is now one of the world's smallest independent countries. Years ago, Nauruan string figure technique was advanced to a level unmatched by any other culture. Before string figures were collected by recording the method of construction, many finished figures were simply preserved on cards (analogous to shooting and mounting animals instead of keeping a live one). Sadly, Nauruan culture was devastated by World War II, and the figures whose methods were not written down were lost. However some drawings appear as an appendix to C. F. Jayne's classic 1906 tome String Figures and How To Make Them. It is possible to reconstruct them by tacking string onto a board to mechanically recreate the pattern, then extending it on the hands and carefully recording dissolution steps. The steps can then be reversed to produce the figure again. I have done this with Figs. 839, 840, and 841 from Jayne's book, all named after people: Tinamitto, Egarawinago, and Ibunemun.
Tinamitto: A Nauru Dandy
Figure 839, Jayne
February 26, 2004
1) Nauru Opening 2.
2) Give 4 loop a half twist away from you.
3) Pass 5 loop under all other loops, up through 1 loop, and back onto 5, rotating it in the process, as follows: Pass mouth over 1N and under all other strings; take 5F in the teeth (you may need to push it forward with the fingers); release 5; pass 5s toward the body into the small mouth loop; release mouth.
4) Pass 5 loop down through 4, and return, as follows: Transfer 5 loop to 4; pass 1 under 2 and 3 loops and insert from below into both 4 loops; release 4 from upper loop; bring 1, with new loop, down out of 4 loop and transfer upper 1 loop to 5.
5) Pass 1 loop down through 2, and return, as follows: Transfer 2 loop to 1; insert 1 from below into both 2 loops; release upper 2 loop, return 1 back down through lower 2 loop, carrying old upper 2 loop.
6) Release 2 and 4.
Extension:
7) Transfer 5 loop to 2, inserting from above.
8) Transfer 1 loop to 5 under all other strings and hook 5 down to the palm.
9) 1, under intervening strings, gets 5N and 2N.
10) Release 2.
11) Caroline Extension, keeping 3 and 5 hooked down to the palm.
Egarawinago: A Lady Of Quality
Figure 840, Jayne
February 16, 2004
1) Nauru Opening II (Opening A, 4 gets 2F, Opening A again with 3).
2) Transfer 2 loops to 1.
3) Transfer 4 loops to 2.
4) Pass 1 under 2 and 3 loops and transfer upper 1 loops to 4.
5) Pass 1 loop up through 2, and return, as follows: 1 gets 2N; 2 gets lower 1F; release 1; transfer upper 2 loops to 1.
6) Pass 5 loop down through 4, and return, as follows: Transfer 5 loops to 4; pass 1 under 2 and 3 loops and insert from below into both 4 loops; release 4 from upper loop; bring 1, with new loop, down out of 4 loop and transfer upper 1 loop to 5.
7) Release 2 and 4.
You now have the figure as it is in the book but here is my extension method:
8) Transfer 1 loops to 2, inserting from above.
9) 1, under intervening strings, gets 5N and 2N.
10) Release 2.
11) Caroline Extension, hooking 3 down toward you to remove the twist in its loop.
Ibunemun: A Man
Figure 841, Jayne
February 17, 2004
1) Nauru Opening I.
2) Transfer 3 loop to 4.
3) Give 4 loop a half twist away from you.
4) Give 2 loop a half twist toward you.
5) Pass 5 loop under all other loops, up through 1 loop, and back onto 5, rotating it in the process, as follows: Pass mouth over 1N and under all other strings; take 5F in the teeth (you may need to push it forward with the fingers); release 5; pass 5s toward the body into the small mouth loop; release mouth.
6) Insert 3 into 2 loop from above and return with 2N.
7) Pass 5 loop down through 4, and return, as follows: Transfer 5 loop to 4; pass 1 under 2 and 3 loops and insert from below into both 4 loops; release 4 from upper loop; bring 1, with new loop, down out of 4 loop and transfer upper 1 loop to 5.
8) Pass 1 loop down through small 2 loop, and return, as follows: Transfer 1 loop to 2; pull out small lower 2 loop with opposite hand and insert 1 from below into lower 2 loop; return with upper 2N; repeat with other hand.
9) Release 2 and 4.
Extension:
10) Transfer 5 loop to 2, inserting from above.
11) Transfer 1 loop to 5 under all other strings and hook 5 down to the palm.
12) 1, under intervening strings, gets 5N and 2N.
13) Release 2.
14) Caroline Extension, keeping 3 and 5 hooked down to the palm.