Cat's cradle

The Cradle ( called in German-speaking witches game ) is a game of skill for one or more persons. Here are tied with a cord closed figures, which are often derived from nature.

Worldwide, there are thousands of games thread, mostly figures. The removal or Abhebespiel (see Decreasing game ) is probably the most well-known in Central Europe 's cradle.

Origin

The game does not have a clearly demonstrable origin ( such as Tangram ). It is used in indigenous peoples played on all continents around among North American Indians, the Inuit or the Papuans. Here, the same figures are obtained. Introduction to the European world was, among other things by the anthropologist Franz Boas.

Importance

The thread games have both the task of preparing the skillful handling of sewing or the need for hunting harpoon lines, as well as in part a ritual significance. The Girls of Chugacheskimos play it preferably in the fall, because it is believed so to be able to weave in the rays of the autumn sun and delay the onset of winter. The emergence of the braid figures is often accompanied by rhymes or songs, in which stories, fairy tales and legends are told.

The cord

As sinew cord, human hair, natural fibers, etc. are used. However, most practical is a nylon or cotton with a diameter of about 3 mm. The length depends on the complexity of the figures, however, are 2 m a good target figure.

Game modes

A player

In general, the string game is played alone.

It's about as good through certain techniques the thread around the finger that the end result is a picture. Declarer uses to his teeth or his toes as a "third hand".

Thread stories are usually told by a single person, which illustrates a story by means of string figures. Thread stories are made up of at least two characters. Here, a figure ( picture) is played from the previous and not start all over again.

Here the string is apparently complicated entangled, then to be solved surprising. Best known are the unleashing of tricks. Other tricks are hitting node and string through the loop. From a thread a bracelet can be played.

Two players

A player makes one or more pieces together with another player. An example of this is the weight loss game.

Here the second player falls mostly a rather passive role - either by making a choice or a body part is available, eg at Entfesselungen.

Two or more players

With several players a longer cord is needed for the character. Thus, for example, play with a 20 - m- thread each 5 persons 5 fingers of one hand. However, it can not be transmitted all characters on large strings.

Figures

Worldwide, there are thousands of string figures, in nearly all nations. The mesh or Webfiguren have names like

• Cup and saucer ( the most well-known string game world )
• Four diamonds (also called diadem from America under the name of Jacob's ladder known) - this figure, there are also on all continents.
• Cats cradle (see Decreasing game )
• Harpoon / fish spear
• Boom ( boat)
• Mouse or even ( common in Germany ) train
• Fighting Headhunter
• Witches' broom
• Bathtub
• Etc.

Special peoples

Some thread game characters got their names from nations in which these movements were invented. The string game is known in many cultures; Here is a small selection:

Tribes with different dialects were able to build with the string figures an understanding.

Also among the Inuit the game thread ( Inuktitut: Ajaraarutit ) was very popular.

In the Kwakiutl Indians anthropologists found specific, commonly used sequences and called it Katilluik.

The Navajo Indians are very skillful player thread. Ethnologists have therefore dedicated to them a new expression: the Navajo jump. If during the game thread on one finger a lower loop to bring over a top, they say, "Make a Navajo! "

Thread Games in the movie

• Whale Rider The heroine plays at the beginning of the film in a very short scene a thread figure.
• The Horse Whisperer
• Wanted end of the film, in which a loom is important, a thread piece is played.