Tonton Bouki
Here's the Haitian version of Frère Jacques...
Tonton Bouki
Uncle Bouki
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Haitian Creole)
(English)
Tonton Bouki,
Tonton Bouki,
Ou ap dòmi?
Ou ap dòmi?
Lévé pou bat tanbou-a,
Lévé pou bat tanbou-a
Ding ding dong !
Ding ding dong !
Uncle Bouki,
Uncle Bouki
Are you sleeping?
Are you sleeping?
Get up to play the drum,
Get up to play the drum!
Ding, ding, dong!
Ding, ding, dong!
Notes
Tonton Bouki is a Character from Haitian Folktales
"Many Haitian folktales center on two characters, Uncle Bouki (Tonton Bouki) and Ti Malice. Uncle Bouki is a laughable bumpkin – foolish, boastful and greedy. Ti Malice is his opposite, a smart character full of tricks. These same qualities are found combined in Anansi the spider, the hero of many Caribbean folktales. In Haiti, they are divided between the two characters of Uncle Bouki and Ti Malice." –Haitian Literature, Teaching for Change
Thanks to Olivier Pagani from the Classe d'Initiation at Mons-en-Baroeul/Lille Fives (France) for generously allowing me to post a recording from his site.
