"Ukuti wa nazi: Tanzanian's most popular nursery rhythm and dance. This is the normal version! People do edit and fit other words to suit the occasion for kids." -Dr. Ng'umbi Nickson Hassanally

Ukuti - Tanzanian Children's Songs - Tanzania - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World  - Intro Image

Notes

Another Version:

Ukuti, ukuti
Wa nazi, wa nazi
Mwenzetu, mwenzetu
Kagongwa, kagongwa
Na nini, na nini?
Na gari, na gari
Usije kusema kwa baba yake
Yes, yes, yes, yeah!
Bado kidogo

Loose English Translation:

The leaf, the leaf
Of a coconut tree, a coconut tree
Our friend, our friend
Was hit by, was hit by
What? What?
A car, a car
Before s/he reports it to her/his father
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Wait a minute.

Game Instructions

This song is sung in a ring. The children hold hands and skip around. They then increase their steps as if running around. Then they fall down when it comes to the last line.

Comments

This game is also played in Kenya.

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Thanks and Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dr-Ng'umbi Nickson Hassanally for helping with the words to this song and the translation. We also have his YouTube of Ukuti posted here. Check out his YouTube Channel for more Songs from Tanzania.

Photo: Ukuti Game by Calvink255, cc.4.0.

Asante Sana!