Meaning
A classic Caribbean ring game and singing game in which children join hands in a circle while one child in the middle dances and 'shows a motion' for the others to copy, as they sing 'Brown girl in the ring, tra-la-la-la-la'. A staple of childhood play, schoolyards, and folk-song heritage across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
Examples
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Di pickney dem a play brown girl in the ring.
The children are playing 'brown girl in the ring'.
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Show mi a motion inna di ring!
Show me a dance move in the ring!
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Wi form a ring an sing.
We form a circle and sing.
Origin
A Caribbean singing ring-game and folk song, later popularised in recorded music. See [[moonshine-darlin]], [[ring-game]].
How it’s used
A circle singing-and-dancing children's game. See [[moonshine-darlin]], [[stucky]].