The Bluejay

Collected by Julia Averkieva from the Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) of Vancouver Island, Canada. According to local tradition all people are derived from animal spirits living in the sky. This figure represents Bluejay Woman, who lives in the doorless supernatural house of the son of the Sun. After treating male visitors to dried berries, she eats their pupils and sucks their brains out.

<Full-length video in Windows Media Player>

Step-by-Step Video Clips

Written Instructions

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Step 4 - R3 unfolds and enters the double R1 loop from below.

R1 and R3 grasp L1f and draw it to the right through the double loop on R1-R3, which slips off.

Release L1 loop, then rotate R1 away from you and up so that the string held by R1 and R3 becomes an R1 loop.

R2, from above, removes the R1 loop, rotating toward you and up as it returns.