Akka bakka bonka rakka facts for kids
Akka bakka bonka rakka is a fun Norwegian nursery rhyme that uses mostly made-up words. Kids use it to choose who will be "it" in games like hide-and-seek or tag. It's a way to make picking fair and exciting!
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What is "Akka bakka bonka rakka"?
This rhyme is a type of counting rhyme. These rhymes help children decide who goes first or who is "it" in a game. Instead of arguing, everyone can use a rhyme like "Akka bakka bonka rakka" to make the choice random and fair.
In 1901, a book called Norsk Lekebok (which means "Book of Norwegian Games") by Nora Kobberstad officially listed "Akka bakka bonka rakka" as a counting rhyme. This shows how old and well-known it is in Norway!
Different Versions of the Rhyme
Like many old rhymes, "Akka bakka bonka rakka" has changed a bit over time and in different places. Here are some of the ways it has been recorded:
Early 1920s Version
In the early 1920s, a person named Sigurd Nergaard wrote down a version of the rhyme from a place called Elverum:
- Akka bakka,
- banka ranka,
- etla metla, sang dang,
- fil i fang, isa, bisa, topp!
1936 Book Version
In 1936, another version was put into a book of children's rhymes by Rikka Deinboll:
- Akka bakka bonka rakka
- etla metla sjong dong
- fili fong
- issa bissa topp
1964 Andøya Version
Later, in 1964, Finn Myrvang shared a version of the rhyme that was used in Andøya:
- Akka bakka bonka rakka, issa bissa topp.
- Sjong dong filifong, stékk om stein - stå!
Children's Book Club Version
A more recent version, published by the Children's Book Club (called Bokklubbens barn in Norwegian), goes like this:
- Akka bakka
- bonka rakka,
- etla metla
- sjong dong,
- filifjong
- issa bissa topp
As you can see, even though the words are mostly "nonsense," the rhyme has stayed popular for many years!
