Obwisana
Obwisana is a circle game where everyone has a rock that they tap on the floor to the rhythm of the music. Then they pass it to their neighbor.
Obwisana
The Rock Has Crushed My Hand
Circle Game
Circle Game
(Akan)
(English)
Obwisana sa nana
Obwisana sa
Obwisana sa nana
Obwisana sa.
The rock has crushed my hand, grandma
The rock has crushed my hand.
The rock has crushed my hand, grandma,
The rock has crushed my hand.
Notes
You can also find this translated as:
"I just hit my fingers on the rock (grandma)."
Game Instructions
The children sit in a circle while singing ob-wi-sa-na and they each pass around a rock. Each child taps the rock on the ground and passes it to the next kid. The taps make a beat on each syllable of the song.
Comments
"I know this song as an Akan song from Ghana. 'Obo asi me nsa, nana, obo asi me nsa' which is sung in a circle by children. The Akan place great importance on co-operation and this circle game can't be played without that and a high degree of accuracy when placing the stone, especially as it gets faster and faster and more intricate with 2 stones tapped together or going round in the opposite direction." -Susan Arnold
*****
You can see two YouTube video renditions of Obwisana on Mama Lisa's World Blog.
Rhianna shared this recording with us and sent this note:
"The way to play is to sit in a circle as a group each person has a stone in their hand and passes to the next person on the first syllable of the 'Sa na na' line, and just continue on."
Many thanks to Rhianna Barr-Beaumont for singing this song for us! Check out Rhianna's YouTube Channel to hear more of her music!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Lizanell Boman for contributing this song and to Susan Arnold to telling us more about it.
Thank you!
