Author Archives: Randy Esparza

Children’s Hand Game: Concentrate

The game requires two players. One hand is facing down, one hand is facing up, your hands are mirrored with each other, and then you clap three times on your own. To start, you do those actions while singing “Concentrate, 48, no repeats, or hesitates, ill go first, you’ll go second, let’s concentrate on _”
The informant stated that the category to concentrate on is chosen before the start of the game. For example, the category could be Disney characters, fast food restaurants, books, movies, or anything else. Then the informant said the point of the game was to continue to list out things in that category while alternating back and forth, doing the same hand-clapping motions every time a response is given. The game ends when one of the individuals runs out of responses, someone hesitates, or something is repeated.

The informant has an older sister who is five years older than her. She states that growing up, her sister knew so many games such as hand clapping games meant to pass the time. Whether it was in car rides, in line at Disney World, and before Iphones and Ipads, it became an integral thing for them. She stated that when they would play, they would think “Oh you’re bored, oh you don’t have anything to do, you just want to be silly for a second” and it would alleviate their boredom. Additionally, she added that at other times the adults would be busy and thus she and her sister would need to occupy themselves so they would be able to be silly and have fun. She added that she was a girl scout and learned many other hand games through this as well. Lastly, she mentioned that she still plays now for nostalgia and that she has taught it to some of her friends now as a way to disconnect from being on their phones all the time.

 The hand-clapping game resembles many other games in the sense that its pace is fast and creates a competitive environment between its players. The urgency to play whenever one was bored shows how children are able to be creative and innovative. Considering the link between being a girl scout and having the knowledge of all these games shows that there is a purpose to learning these games and that we view them as having value and not just something silly. They provide children with something they can do that stimulates their minds and can also now help to detach themselves from using technology for entertainment so much.

Mexican Secret Language: “EFE” Language

Performance Date: 2/22/23
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“Hofo Lafa Cofo Mofo Efe Stafas. Mufuy Bifi Efen.”

Translates to “Hola como estas. Muy bien.”

The informant states that growing up, her cousins began to talk to her in this coded language. Her cousins then taught it to her and explained the rules of how to use it to her. She noted that the more you practice it, the easier it is to do. She also noted that she was able to use it on those who did not know the language but that her parents had been taught it as kids too so she could not use it on them. Additionally, she noted that other kids wanted to learn it but you are not supposed to teach the rule, but rather the other people must learn it by trying to decode it themselves. Lastly, she noted that the language is spoken at a fast pace almost to add to its secretiveness. 

This is a form of folk speech and is pretty rare to hear but well-known in Mexico overall. The folk speech is very similar to pig Latin but a little less complicated. This language is interesting to see in the sense that it is not simply something attributed to children. Oftentimes, those who are older will use it around children to keep their conversations discreet and the children will use it believing that they are secretive. Additionally, the language seems to be something you develop as you are able to use it more frequently and you speak it faster the better you know it. Thus there is a difference between how people say it and how certain people are able to speak it better. 

Mexican Riddles

Performance Date: 2/22/23
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish
  1. “Agua pasa por mi casa,

cate de mi corazón.

El que no lo adivinara,

será un burro cabezón.”

2. “Chocó entre dos paredes,

late mi corazón,

quién no sepa mi nombre es un cabezón.”

English Translation: 

  1. “Water passes through my house,

drink from my heart

The one who doesn’t guess it,

will be a big-headed donkey.”

2. “I collide between two walls,

my heart beats,

whoever doesn’t know my name is a big head.”

The informant explains that she learned of these riddles from her grandmother, and heard them many times in Mexico. She was only 5 years old when she first heard of them and when she was first given the riddle, she guessed it wrong. They told her again and emphasized the necessary words so she was able to figure it out. She would ask people in her 5th-grade class about it but most did know it despite its popularity in Mexico. She taught her brothers the riddle when she was older.

These riddles seem to use a lot more vivid imagery compared to other riddles. It utilizes a unique way to figure out the riddle where it deals mainly with hidden words sprinkled throughout the sentences. Other riddles typically have hidden meanings but they utilize hints and clues in order to help solve it but this riddle has to do with the words you hear. Some have attributed the riddles as a way of being able to teach vocabulary in Spanish as it introduces new words and words that are not always featured together.

Korean Handgame

Performance Date: 2/22/23
Primary Language: English
Language: Korean

English translation: 

On the blue sky, Milky Way,

White boat

A tree of a tree and a rabbit 

It’s not a mast and there’s no sting.

It’s good to go to the west country. 

Cross the Milky Way to the cloud country. 

Where are you going after the cloud country.

Shining brightly from a distance

It’s a new star lamp. Find the way. 

First, you clap with two hands, then each other’s front of their hands touch, then clap together (all in a wave-like motion). Then clap again, then both mirror one hand above, one hand below, and clap together, then a final clap with both hands from each. This will continue until the song ends. 

The informant explains that the Korean hand game combines a Korean song with hand clapping that goes along with the rhythm. She was taught as a kid by her mother and quickly began to do it with her friends. The song is called Half Moon, and the lyrics seem to relate to the night sky and stars. The informant believes that it may have some tie to other Korean folklore but is not entirely sure. She explains that most if not all Korean children know this game.

The interesting thing about this hand-clapping game is that the game really is not a game. There is no winning in this game, and it simply ends when the song ends. There is no competition, and nothing to achieve other than the cultural aspect. I believe that because it is of Korean culture and origin, it has a more collectivist culture and thus its purpose is different.

Pepito Jokes

Performance Date: 2/22/23
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish
  1. “Pepito le pregunta a su maestra, ‘Maestra me castigaria usted  por algo que no hice’. La maestra le dice, ‘No pepito, por supuesto que no’. Pepito le responde, ‘Que bueno porque no hice la tarea’”.

2. “Pepito encuentra a su hermana haciendo el amor con su novio y les pregunta, ‘Que estan haciendo’ y el novio le contesta, ‘La estoy vacunando’y Pepito dice ‘Oye pero estara bien enferma porque ayer vino un amigo tuyo y la vacuno dos veces. Lo unico que parece es que ayer la jeringa era mas grande porque grito mas’”

Translated to English:

  1. “Pepito asks his teacher, ‘Teacher, would you punish me for something I didn’t do?’ The teacher tells him, ‘No Pepito, of course not’. Pepito responds, “That’s good because I didn’t do my homework.”

2. “Pepito finds his sister making love to her boyfriend and asks them, ‘What are you doing’ and the boyfriend answers, ‘I’m vaccinating her’ and Pepito says ‘Hey, but she must be very sick because yesterday a friend of yours came and vaccinated her twice. The only thing that seems weird is that yesterday the syringe was bigger because she screamed more.’”

The informant stated that Pepito is a mischievous little boy who in every joke, he says something funny. The informant says they were similar to knock-knock jokes because there is a structure that doesn’t change with the joke, but the content of the joke varies. Pepito’s jokes start with him talking to another person, a lot of times a parent or teacher, then Pepito asks a question, the person responds and finally, Pepito delivers the punch line. Most of the jokes are imprudent or have a double meaning, sometimes dirty jokes. The informant mentioned she would read these jokes in Mexico as well because, in certain calendars in Mexico, you would rip off the top of the current date and on it, there would be an interesting fact, jokes, or tongue twisters. She learned the jokes through friends at school as well. 

The Pepito jokes seem to be common for children to know. They were popular in Mexico and seem to be a bit different from knock-knock jokes although being similar. Yes, they maintain a structure, but knock-knock jokes tend to not be funny and just quip you throw whenever you learn a new one. Pepito jokes on the other hand seem to be something where the more one collects, the better. Additionally, the dirtier the joke, the funnier it was which alludes to the feeling kids have transitioned into puberty and how they feel having knowledge about dirtier subjects.