Nyango sent this song with the note: "I remembered one song and was excited to send that to you, but I did a 'google' search and found that it is a common English children's song. It is 'Round and Round the Village'. I even see from the notes that we play it exactly the same."

 

•  MP3 Recording of Round and Round the Village

Notes

*Mbonge is a town in the Southwest of Cameroon. This is a traditional English song. In Great Britain, "Follow me to London" is sung in the last verse.

Game Instructions

One ring of children make the "village" and an equal number of children runs around them. At "in an out the windows", the outer ring runs weaving through the kids on the inner circle. At "stand before your partner" they stop running and stand before the inner ring and each goes through the motion of the song. At "Follow me to Mbonge", they take each partner's hand and run around the circle together. They start the song again and switch places so the circle that stood still now runs around the "village" and vice versa.

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Nyango M. Nambangi of the Minnesota African Women's Association for contributing this song and for teaching us how to do the circle dance.

Thanks to Nyango M. Nambangi for singing this song for Mama Lisa's World!

Thanks so much!