"What do you mean you didn't need a joystick?"

Hands up all those who remember the playground game "Rover". You know, the one where everybody lined up against the fence on one side of the playground and ran to the other. The person reaching the other side last was termed "on", and was given the task of catching as many of the players who weren't as they attempted to traverse the field. People could be called in turn, and try to cross. If they were caught, they were also "on", but if they managed to cross, the entire team made a mad dash to the opposite side. Being one of the slower runners, I had to devise a method of ensuring that I didn't end up standing in the middle of the field alone every time. I didn't choose the slowest runner to try to cross solo. In fact I made a point of choosing someone who was likely to succeed and then target one of the faster chaps as they crossed en masse, hoping to increase the statistical probability of catching them. In hindsight, the game was probably a good preparation for the frequent encounters my schoolmates would have with the security forces during the school boycott years. I think the game got it's name from the call "Rover come over" which was used to invite players to try to get across the field.

There are some games, however, which had names for which I have no explanation. Piegits (or Piggy Liggy), Nickies (which was also called Kimberley Jim in some parts and Kirri Bekka in Johannesburg). There were also some songs, which in hindsight could be construed as cruel, bordering on abusive.

My sister's getting married, married, married

My sister's getting married, disma disma day.

Oh may we come to your wedding, weding, wedding

Oh may we come to your wedding disma disma day.

No sis you are too dirty, dirty, dirty

disma disma day

It is quite interesting how the theme of exclusion from weddings and using it as a basis for establishing social standing are explored at quite a young age (regular readers may recall a reference to this in a previous article "the great indian wedding part I"

Other songs have lyrics which are a bit more cryptic with regards to their origin, and any feedback would be appreciated.

Ing Ging Goga

I Figgi Nogga

I Figgi Anything

Ing Ging Goga

My question is, what exactly does the act of "Figgi-ing" entail? Also, it seems as if "Nogga" is used as a noun, but if not, does it serve to describe the act?