© 2001 Earl W. Stokes
This string figure has come to be a figure made by the women in our experience. This does not mean that a man can not or should not make the figure but the figure seems to belong to women, generally. We recently experienced this figure done by a women's group of nine who unsolicited joined Lois and another women to learn the figure. The two sat on the floor to wrap the string around the large toe of one foot and seven other women drifted into what became a circle of nine learning both the movements of making the figure and learning the words and voice for the chant that is a part of this string figure.
My reason for doing this image from an upright piece of driftwood placed in the sand was to experience the soaring effect which we often use with this figure when meditating. Try swinging the figure from left to right and up and down as if a bird soaring in the sky. We picture the Frigate Bird and watching them in the sky over Lumaha'i Beach brought forth the urge to see the figure against the sea rather than over the sand which was the normal perspective for us. We hope you enjoy it as much!