Yo' Mama, Mary Mack, and Boudreaux and Thibodeaux: Louisiana Children's Folklore and Play (Folklore Studies in a Multicultural World Series)

Winner of the 2018 Chicago Folklore Prize and Winner of the 2018 Opie Prize Jeanne Soileau, a teacher in New Orleans and south Louisiana for more than forty years, examines how children’s folklore, especially among African Americans, has changed. From the tumult of integration to the present, her experience afforded unique opportunities to observe children as they played. With integration in New Orleans during the 1960s, Soileau notes how children began to play with one another almost immediately. Children taught each other play routines, chants, jokes, jump-rope rhymes, cheers, taunts, and teases―all the folk games that happen in normal play on the street and playground. When adults―the judges and attorneys, the parents, and the politicians―haggled and shouted, children began to hold hands in a circle, fall down together to “Ring around the Rosie,” and tease each other in new and creative ways. Children’s ability to adapt can be seen not only in their response to social change, but in how they adopt and utilize pop culture and technology. Vast technological changes in the last third of the twentieth century influenced the way children sang, danced, played, and interacted. Soileau catalogs these changes and studies how games evolve and transform as much as they are preserved. She includes several topics of study: oral narratives and songs, jokes and tales, and teasing formulae gleaned from mostly African American sources. Because much of the field work took place on public school playgrounds, this body of oral narratives remains of particular interest to teachers, folklorists, linguists, and those who study play. In the end, Soileau shows that despite the restrictions of air-conditioning, shorter recess periods, ever-increasing hours of television watching, the growing popularity of video games, and carefully scripted after-school activities, many children in south Louisiana sustain traditional games. At the same time, they invent varied and clever new ones. As Soileau observes, children strive through their folk play to learn how to fit into a rapidly changing society. Jeanne Soileau, Through Her Role As A Public School Teacher In New Orleans For More Than Forty Years, Examines How Children's Folklore, Especially African American Folklore, Has Changed From The Tumultuous Trials Of Integration To The Present. Her Experience Allows Her The Unique Opportunity To Observe Children As They Play And As Their Play Changes. Starting With Integration In New Orleans During The 1960s, Soileau Notes, The Children Began To Play With One Another Almost Immediately. The Children Taught Each Other Play Routines, Chants, Jokes, Jump-rope Rhymes, Cheers, Taunts And Teases--all The Folk Games That Happen In Normal Play On Street And Playground. While The Adults--the Judges And Attorneys, The Parents, And The Politicians--all Haggled Over Which School Had How Many Students Of Which Race, The Children Began To Hold Hands In A Circle, Fall Down Together To Ring Around The Rosie, And Tease Each Other In New And Creative Ways. Children's Ability To Adapt Can Be Seen Not Only In Their Response To Social Change, But In How They Adopt And Utilize Pop Culture And Technology. The Vast Technological Changes Of The Last Third Of The Twentieth Century Influenced The Way Children And Their Friends, Sang, Danced, Played, And Interacted. Louisiana Children's Folklore Catalogs These Changes Across The Decades, Studying How Games Evolve And Transform As Much As They Are Preserved. The Book Includes Several Genres Of Study, Oral Narratives And Songs, Jokes And Tales, And Teasing Formulae Gleaned From Mostly African American Sources. Because Much Of The Collection Took Place On Public School Playgrounds, This Body Of Oral Narratives Could Be Of Particular Interest To Teachers, Folklorists, Linguists, And Parents-- History And Scope Of This Project -- Boys' Verbal Play -- Girls' Verbal Play -- The African American Child And The Media -- To Infinity And Beyond: Children's Play In The Electronic Age. Jeanne Pitre Soileau. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Jeanne Soileau, through her role as a public school teacher in New Orleans for more than forty years, examines how children's folklore, especially African American folklore, has changed from the tumultuous trials of integration to the present. Her experience allows her the unique opportunity to observe children as they play and as their play changes. Starting with integration in New Orleans during the 1960s, Soileau notes, the children began to play with one another almost immediately. The children taught each other play routines, chants, jokes, jump-rope rhymes, cheers, taunts and teases--all the folk games that happen in normal play on street and playground. While the adults--the judges and attorneys, the parents, and the politicians--all haggled over which school had how many students of which race, the children began to hold hands in a circle, fall down together to "Ring around the Rosie," and tease each other in new and creative ways. Children's ability to adapt can be seen not only in their response to social change, but in how they adopt and utilize pop culture and technology. The vast technological changes of the last third of the twentieth century influenced the way children and their friends, sang, danced, played, and interacted. Louisiana Children's Folklore catalogs these changes across the decades, studying how games evolve and transform as much as they are preserved. The book includes several genres of study, oral narratives and songs, jokes and tales, and teasing formulae gleaned from mostly African American sources. Because much of the collection took place on public school playgrounds, this body of oral narratives could be of particular interest to teachers, folklorists, linguists, and parents"-- Provided by publisher “Yo’ Mama, Mary Mack, and Boudreaux and Thibodeaux” presents a forty-four year study of South Louisiana African American children’s performance lore, from the last third of the twentieth century to the first ten years of the twenty-first, beginning with the era of integration in New Orleans and ending with the age of computers and the internet. Using a set of simple questions like “What jokes do you tell?” and “Can you do a hand clap for me?” the author recorded the voices of African American children and their friends playing “dozens,” telling jokes, and performing verbally for each other. Over time the media influenced play, as movies, television, music videos, all provided powerful models for African American children and their schoolmates. Kung fu and break dancing became part of the play vocabulary. The music of Michael Jackson entered handclap chants, and his dance moves became schoolyard performances. The chapter “To Infinity and Beyond: Children’s Play in the Electronic Age” presents the children as conservators of traditional schoolyard games, while adding play on YouTube, Facebook, smartphones, Xboxes, video games, and more. In the lifetime of a person, the years three (the earliest years where verbal art is shared) to twelve (about seventh or eighth grade) are those in which children learn, share, and practice what is called “children’s folklore.” Shared child lore is a treasured outlet for artistic expression. Children learn rhyme, rhythm, public speaking, game rules, cultural expectations, and self-assurance through play shared with their peers. 'Yo' Mama, Mary Mack, and Boudreaux and Thibodeaux' presents a 44 year study of South Louisiana African American children's performance lore, from the last third of the twentieth century to the first ten years of the twenty-first, beginning with the era of integration in New Orleans and ending with the age of computers and the internet