Kura ya kura ya: The Dagbamba children’s game IShowSpeed took global, and the words the internet got wrong

For centuries, "Kura ya kura ya" has been a popular play song among the Dagbamba people of northern Ghana, sung by children and women during evening gatherings. This year, the tune gained widespread recognition thanks to American streamer IShowSpeed, who incorporated it into his "Speed Does Africa" tour in Ghana. However, as the song traveled across the internet, concerns arose about the accuracy of the words the global audience received.

Prior to the age of social media, the Dagbamba community kept their diverse culture alive through various events, including funerals, harvests, festivals, marriages, and naming ceremonies. These occasions, as well as communal activities like house plastering, provided opportunities for songs, stories, and games to transmit knowledge and values from one generation to the next.

The Dagbamba, one of the major ethnic groups in northern Ghana, have a rich tradition of indigenous songs, including dirges, religious hymns, epics, and play songs. "Kura ya kura ya" falls into the latter category, serving as a children's game designed to stimulate young minds, discourage social misconduct, and impart moral teachings.

When the sun sets and the evening meal concludes, a girl named Maltiti leads a group of friends to the playground. They gather stones arranged in a circle to represent each participant. A leader is chosen by unanimous agreement, regardless of gender. Squatting and striking the ground with both hands, the children begin the chant, "Kura ya kura ya," to which the group responds, "Kur jai jai."

The leader then passes the stones clockwise, and each player repeats the chant with their name, "kur" followed by the next player's name, until the tempo reaches its peak. The critical rule is that no player may possess more than one stone at any time. Violating this rule results in immediate disciplinary action from the referee, Daniel Laryea.

Games like "Kura ya kura ya" foster cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development. Memorizing the song and its rules requires mental effort, while the leader's ability to maintain rhythm while rapidly shifting and stressing the names of the players demonstrates the importance of linguistic precision. The game promotes tolerance, unity, and emotional intelligence among participants, empowering them to recognize weaknesses and strengths in themselves and others.

Additionally, the game imparts valuable life lessons, such as the importance of seizing opportunities without delay and the value of selflessness.