Friday Find: Little Sally Walker x2

This week we bring you two videos. I’d like to say it is because they were so perfectly entwined that it would be a disservice to show one without the other. But the truth is that I just couldn’t decide which one I liked better. So here is another common folk song and game you might know, with a twist.

The first video is from the Smithsonian Institute and features an interview with Bessie Jones. (The clip runs to 3:28 before changing to another game, though the whole video is worth watching.)

What she says about the song is incredibly powerful, and while it may not be a topic to share with elementary school children it would be something that could be incorporated into an upper level lesson on African American music and history.

The second video comes from Haiti and shows a similar, though simpler, version of the same game. Again, it is fascinating to see how these songs change and travel. Both versions of this song are different from what I use in my classroom or what you might find the Chomsky collection of games and dances.

Think you know a video that would make a great Friday Find? Email us at media@kesne.org!

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