Skipping Game: Eight o’clock is Striking
Contents
1 History
2 The Song
3 How the game is played
4 One Player
5 Three or more Players
History
Skipping is a game which has been played by coloured girls in Mariannridge for many generations and the game has different songs which are sung whilst playing. These games have been taught to the younger generations. ‘Eight o’clock is striking’ is one of the songs which girls sing and jump to the rhythm of, while playing skipping. It is played on a flat surface using a skipping rope. This game can be played by one or more players and the way which the game is played varies according to the number of people playing the game.
The Song
Eight o’ clock is striking
My ma lets me out
My old man is waiting
He wants to take me out
He takes me round the corner
He takes me overseas
He takes me to my uncle
To have a cup of tea
A stands for apple
B stands for ball
C stands for Cycil
And out the blackbird goes
Its bedtime for Marlene
Its bedtime for me
Goodnight my ma
Goodnight my pa
Goodnight to all my friends
How the game is played
One Player
Skip three times, stop and skip the rope to the side of you. At “Goodnight my ma, goodnight my pa”, skip only twice.
Three or more Players
Two players hold opposite ends of the skipping rope and skip. They skip the ropes three times and twirl it overhead. The player in the centre jumps three times and can choose to go down or jump out. The players who jump out then join the queue.
By Beverley Webster