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

1 2 3 4 5 all

Step 5 - 2 of each hand rotates a half turn away from you, then L2 rotates an extra quarter turn so that it points toward you.

L345 enters the L2 loop from the same side as L2 to enlarge the L hand loop.

R1 picks up the two R palmar strings near bent R45 and lifts them upward to extend the figure.

R45 unfolds to free the hanging loop.

You have "The Bluejay" seen in profile. The small knot near the center of the upper frame string represents the head of Bluejay Woman; the inverted double-walled triangle represents her body; the double R1n string and the hanging loop represent her supernaturally-long tail feathers.