Coyotes Running Opposite Ways

‘Coyotes running opposite ways’ is the English translation of the Navajo string figure referred to as Ma’ii Ats’áá’ Yílwoí. The string figure is an ancient art form, widely practiced around the world and yet its exact origins remain unknown. For the Navajo people, string games are one form of telling stories – stories of constellations and ancestors. The string figure is perceived as a gift from Tse che nako (Spider Grandmother), the creator of the world. In Aotearoa, string games were practiced to encourage a nimbleness of the fingers; a desired trait for women who spent much of their time on weaving and taniko. The string figure is known as whai in Te Reo Māori, short for Te Whai Wawewawe a Maui meaning ‘Maui’s clever string game.’