Mama Lisa Now Has a Facebook Group

We'd love it if you'd join the Mama Lisa Facebook Group. You can post anything you'd like about your culture. You can post your own musical recordings or YouTube videos… Links to culture and musical sites… Photos of your country… Questions about songs or cultural issues… Anything related to World Culture and [...]

Can Anyone Help with a Rhyme with the Line “Round a Bit”? (It may be originally Polish.)

Lynda wrote looking for help with a rhyme… I hope that you can help me with an old rhyme of sorts. It is spoken softly as to calm a child said while making small circles on a child's skin and then traveling up and starting all over. We can only remember part of [...]

Can Anyone Help with a Polish Circle Game Song?

Lorena wrote: Hi, I'm Argentinian, my grandfather was Polish and he would always sing a circle game song in Polish. Now that I'm a Mommy, I'd like to sing it to my daughter. I don't remember it well. Since my grandfather passed away some years ago, I'm writing to you to see if you can help [...]

Can Anyone Help with a Polish Kids Song that Sounds Like, “Sheevey Coy”?

Tom wrote: Maybe you can help me. I seem to recall a Polish children's song from 50 years ago. The opening lines sounded like Sheevey coy, sheevey coy. The only parts of the song I remember go something like this with English sounds as I do not know the actual Polish words. [...]

Can Anyone Suggest a Polish Children's CD?

Mary wrote: I am looking to get a CD of Polish Children's songs for a friend. Could you recommend one? How may I purchase it? Thank you. Mary Brady If anyone knows of any good Polish kids cd's and/or where to buy them, please let us know about it in [...]

May Celebrations

Guest blogger Ed Gawlinski sent me this short post about celebrations in May… On May 5th a lot of people in the United States are going to have tacos or burritos for lunch to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. On May 5th of 1862 Troops led by Ignacio Zaragoza halted a French invasion of Mexico in [...]

The Symbolism of the Egg

As Easter approaches, it's natural to think a little about eggs! In days gone by the egg, due to its shape, was a symbol of the earth. Thanks to its obvious association with the beginning of life, it has also been the basis of many ancient creation stories. It has been a symbol [...]

Elaborately Decorated Eggs for Easter In Eastern Europe

Guest Blogger, Ed Gawlinski, has been involved in many cultural organizations throughout his life. Here, he discusses Easter traditions in several Eastern European cultures. A common custom is to color hard boiled eggs for Easter. We usually colored them on Good Friday, while eating hot cross buns… Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns, one ha' penny, two [...]

Lent Season and Pancakes

Guest Blogger, Ed Gawlinski, has been involved in many cultural organizations throughout his life. The season of Lent has started. Lent is a season during which Christians prepare for Easter. The English custom is to start Lent by having pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday). A children's rhyme goes [...]

Could Someone Help with an English Translation of the Polish Song “Krakowiaczek Ci Ja” (I am from Cracow)?

We have a version of the Polish song “Krakowiaczek Ci Ja” (I am from Cracow) that's called “Krakowiaczek jeden” (One Man from Cracow). Recently, I was emailed a version of the song called “Krakowiaczek Ci Ja” (I am from Cracow). However, I wasn't sent a full English translation. Here's the song I [...]