Instrumental Activity Book - Obwisana

The "Obwisana" activity featured in an Instrumental Activity Book is a vibrant African passing game that encourages coordination and rhythm among children. The game is set to a catchy tune, with the lyrics "Obwisana sa nana, Obwisana sa," which the children sing while sitting in a circle. Each child has a beater placed on the floor in front of them, and they must be positioned in such a way that they can easily reach the beater in front of the person to their right. The objective of the game is to pass the beater smoothly and in time with the rhythm of the song, without causing confusion or ending up with uneven numbers of beaters among the players.

To teach the game effectively, it's important to first establish the concept of passing the beater. Children practice picking up and placing down the beater in front of them to a steady pulse, using a counting method for synchronisation. Once they have mastered this, the song is introduced, and the aim is to pass the beaters in time with the music. Additional activities can be incorporated, such as singing with claves in two parts, or tapping the pulse with one hand while tapping the rhythm with the other, potentially using drums as seen on the accompanying DVD. These exercises not only enhance the children's enjoyment of the game but also develop their musical skills and their ability to work as a cohesive group.