A Female Eel

Collected by Richard Harbison and Russell Reichelt from the people of the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. This string figure most likely represents the Highlands Long-finned Eel (Anguilla interioris). Freshwater eels inhabit rivers but return to the ocean to spawn.

<Full-length video in Windows Media Player>

Step-by-Step Video Clips		Written Instructions
1  2  3  4  5  all © 2010 ISFA. All rights reserved.		Step 3 - Without releasing its loop, 5 rotates away and down, then presses its tip against the palm. 3 and 4 enter the 5 loop from the same side as 5; 3 and 4, passing under intermediate strings, trap 1n between them and draw this string away from the body over 5f; 5 releases its loop; 3 presses the captured string against the palm to create a 3 loop.