ID: 1581
Date: 1890s
Title: Here we go Jingo Ring
Gender: Male and Female 
Classification: Singing Game 
Rhyme: 

Here we go round a jinga-ring,
A jinga-ring, a jinga-ring,
Here we go round a jinga-ring,
Around the marry (merry) ma tanza.

The last time's the catching time,
The catching time, the catching time,
The last time's the catching time,
Around the marry ma tanza.

(Moeraki, 1890s (Sutton-Smith, 1959:16))

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Background Info: Sutton-Smith, 1959:16 records this as possibly a tag game, related to tug of war, or alternatively a marriage game. Found only in Otago and South Canterbury. 
Similar game in Christchurch known as Merry Go Tansy.

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Sung to the tune of "Nuts and May". Similar version recorded by Opie, 1989:150 -154, as a popular Scottish marriage game with verses beginning:

Here we go round the jingo-ring..
Twice about and then we fall..
Choose your maidens, one or two..
Sweep the house till the bride comes in..
A guinea-gold ring to tell her name..
[Jeannie] is her first name..
[McDonald] is her second name..
A bottle of wine to tell his name..
[Robbie] is his first name..
[Bruce] is his second name..

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Keywords: marriage 
Location: Otago 
Group size: 6 
Incidence: 1