Maori Master of Whai (Hei/string figure creation)

Mäori Master of Whai, Toby Rikihana, demonstrates some Maori string igures onQuicktime video . See link. His "Te Rua Kümara" or Sweet Potato Pit is made the same way in Hawai'i but it is called "Ka Lua o Pele" or "The Pit of Pele" and his "Whare Kehua" is our "Mauna" or "Hale Lehua". He demonstrates how to make "Tohorä" which is "Koholä" in Hawaiian, however, the same figure is called "Palaoa" which are beaked whales. Koholä refers to the Humpback whale. What was also intriguing is some of the openings and construction techniques which are also very similar in Hawaiian yet we derive different images. For example, we begin 'Te Pae Tūī' me 'Te Pae Kākā' opening moves create sweet potatoe, a canoe, a sled, and a lasso. Very interesting stuff for string figure nerds. Koro Rikihana narrates in both Mäori and English.

The other link features an article on Kwatkiutl Native American string figures. The Kwatkiutl live along the Northwest coast of North America and are well known for their totem poles, elaborate wooden masks, and grand Potlatches. One of the authors, Julia Ayerkieva, says that "The Kwatkiutl string figures also bear resemblance to those of Hawai'i."

Canadian String Figure Educator in Hawaii

String Figure educator, expert, and enthusiast, Anne Glover, spoke and taught at the National Storytelling Networks Conference in Hawai'i. I liked her preliminary remarks stating that string figure making is more than child’s play. Her revelation that string has the ability to connect one person to another was also very important to me as I attempt to revitalize hei or Hawaiian string figure making and storytelling here in Hawai'i. Anne discovered, while attempting to “blend” two diverse populations of students together before their meeting at a local, Canadian middle school, that string figures has an almost therapeutic effect on people. Check out her website to learn more about that. http://www.anneglover.ca/
I appreciated her acknowledgement of the native peoples of the world and especially her story about the Kwatkiutl natives of Canada, especially the men, going about after supper and challenging each other to string figure making contests. She linked string figure making to storytelling and also to ritual –both aspects are key to Hawaiian string figure making. Anne also shared the very famous and complicated Inuit figure of the “dog” seen in the photo.