Hei: Hawaiian String Figures
Hawaiian String figures, called “hei” in Hawaiian, are not just child’s play. Many cultures around the world have a history of creating string figures as a part of their ancient heritage. Over 2,000 individual patterns have been recorded worldwide since 1888. “Cat’s Cradle” and other string figures you may already know, are believed to have originated in ancient China. At least 115 different Hawaiian string figures were documented by a researcher named Lyle A. Dickey in 1928.
In Hawaiʻi, the string, called a “kaula.” was made of plant cordage. Chants, called “oli,” accompanied the hand movements. Both children and adults made string figures. Hei were a tool to help remember and re-tell stories of important events and geographic locations, constellations, natural features, and more. Like other elements of Hawaiian culture, such as hula, many layers of meaning are embedded in the practice; however, much of this deeper knowledge conveyed through string figures has been lost over time.
Here are some online resources that we hope you’ll enjoy:
Honu figure video demo - CLICK HERE
Honu figure chant audio with written directions - CLICK HERE
Pō YouTube video - CLICK HERE
Nenue String Figure video with chant from Aukanai - CLICK HERE
International String Figure Association - CLICK HERE
For more fun activities, please visit our Learn at Home page.
