Photo credit to the owner
Long before smartphones, Filipino kids used to spend their days out playing street games and singing silly songs. A perfect combination of which is the classic Nanay-tatay, in which players sing a song about wanting bread and bossing around your siblings, while doing choreographed hand gestures. Throughout the years, kids had found a way to “revolutionize” this game and create spin-offs. Here are some of them:
7. Chiki Chiki Bam is a Bubble Gum
The song goes “Ateeeeeenshoot! Chiki Chiki Bam is a bubble gum. Masarap ito at malinamnam. Bumili ako sa tindahan. Chiki Chiki Bam is a bubble gum.” The game has two players and its objective is to perform the motion sequence as fast as you can go, folding one finger on each hand for every new round until both of you are using your fists. Some even go as far as using their elbow!
6. Busy Apple
It can be played by as many people as possible and the winner is determined by elimination. The song goes “Busy apple lemon juice. Tell me the name of your sweetheart.” Then you give a letter (preferably the first letter of the name of your crush) and recite the ABCs while giving a “pass”. Whoever gets passed on the given letter is eliminated. But based on the lyrics, the game is basically a way to get a confession from your crush (or you).
5. We Gonna Beng
“We gonna beng! Beng! Beng!” The song just goes like that. The game involves a series of gun-hand movements and can be played by a group of two or more. Whoever commits a mistake is eliminated.
4. “Concentration”
“Concentration, this is the rhythm. Concentration. Navigation. Concentration. Let’s begin.” Then each player recites a number which will be the times everyone will clap. This is slightly a more difficult Nanay-tatay. Best played with a large group.
3. Si Ana ay Bata Pa
The song tells the story of Ana, from her childhood to her eventual death. “Si Ana ay bata pa kaya ang sabi niya ay um-ah-um-ah-ah.” Then “Si Ana ay dalaga na kaya ang sabi niya ay um-ah-um-ah-ah.” And so on. The movements are the same as Nanay-tatay’s, and can be played with as many people as possible. The object is to tell the story of Ana, I guess. I don’t really know, tbh.
2. Chimpoy, Champoy
This is a twist on the classic Jak-en-poy – the Pinoy version of Rock-Paper-Scissors. “Chimpoy, champoy, jako jako ne. Jako jako oink-oink. Jako jako ne. Jako jako beh beh. Jako jako ne. Jako jako amen. Jako jako ne.” Jako jako ne means you’ll do a jak-en-poy. Then if you lose, you say jako jako oink-oink and make the corresponding motion which is to point to your nose. If you win, jako jako beh beh – your tongue sticking out for the “beh beh” part. If it’s a draw, you both say jako jako amen and get your hands together as if you’re praying.
1. I Wanna Be a Tutubi
Tutubi is a dragonfly and while they are majestic creatures, the game has nothing to do with turning into one. This is best played with a large group. Its objective is to pass around a pebble undetected by a “taya” – the person who is “it”. If the taya guesses incorrectly, he remains it. If he guesses right, he joins the group and the one holding the pebble become the taya. The song goes “I wanna be a tutubi na walang tinatagong bato sa aking kamay na nahulog sa lupa tinuka ng manok na nanggaling sa buuuuundok!” Catchy, right?
Would you be willing to play these games again?
