In The River On The Bank (Children's Movement Game)

Edited by Azizi Powell

riverbank



Uploaded by Priscilla Quinones on Apr 24, 2008

playing a game at school called in the river in the bank

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This post showcases the movement game "in the river/on the bank".

The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.

COMMENT & PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTIONS
I first learned "in the river/on the bank" [IROB] during vacation Bible school in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1950s). I remember that when Mrs. Janie Owens taught that game to us, she said that it came from "down South". That factoid was memorable to me because I knew that Atlantic City, New Jersey was located in "Southern Jersey", and I was therefore interested in learning about "the other South".

Decades after I first learned "in the river/on the bank", I introduced that game to a number of [mostly African American] children, teens, and adults in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area as part of the repertoire of my Alafia [ah-LAH-fee-ah] Children's Ensemble game song groups & special programming events. IROB appeared to be unknown to those Pittsburgh area groups prior to my teaching it.

Usually as preparation for playing "in the river/on the bank" indoors, I use a long piece of adhesive tape to mark the dividing line between the river and the bank. When playing "in the river/on the bank" outdoors, I either use adhesive tape, or a long sidewalk line. I always warn children never to jump from the street curb to the street. I then explain that the "river bank" is the ground near the river and not the same type of bank that you keep money in. Then I caution the children never to play this game or any other game near a real river bank.

As as a preface to actually playing this game, I emphasize the point that "in the river/on the bank" is only a game. The goal of the person calling out the command "in the river" or "on the bank" is to trick the players into moving when they aren't supposed to move" or trick them into moving the wrong way. I tell the players that if they mess up and have to leave the game (because they moved when they weren't supposed to move, or they moved the wrong way), it's no big deal. They can always play this game again, and the next time they might be the winner. I also emphasize the point that, besides being lots of fun, the reason why people play IROB is because it teaches people how to use their mind.

The way I play this game is that players stand facing horizontially and not sideways as shown in the video at the top of this page. To reduce the possibility of bickering, I make sure that children aren't standing shoulder to shoulder, but there is a small anount of space between each players. Also, players shouldn't hold hands. I then make sure that players understand the rules - if they move when they shouldn't move, or move the wrong way, or if just one or both of their hands or feet touch the line dividing the river or the bank, then they are "out". If one call is shouted out - for instance "in the river" - and the group is already standing there, I've seen some people jump up and some people stay still. It seems to me that either way is fine as long as the person's foot or hand doesn't touch the line or jump to the other side of the line.

Prior to playing IROB "for real", I usually have a couple of practice turns to make sure that the group really understands how the game is played. After those practice turns, when players "mess up", they are out of the game. I usually tell those former players and other observers to stand far away from the game line, so there's no confusion about who are the remaining players. Also, new players can't join the game once it has started. Observers (including former players) can be helpful in letting the game caller know who has messed up, but sometimes that might cause bickering. As the game progresses, the players who remain in the game can move near each other rather than some being at one end of the line and others at the other end of the line. The last person remaining in the game is the winner. That person is the new group caller if he or she wishes to be. However, this may or may not work well as it's important that the caller quickly shouts out the commands "in the river on the bank" and does so in ways that might succeed in "tricking" players. For instance, sometimes I pretend to be jumping forward (that is, the same direction as "in the river") while I shout "on the bank". Or I might say "in the river/ on the bank" multiple times so that the players get use to hearing that, and then switch up and say "on the bank". I like being "tricky" that way. :o)

In my experience, "in the river/on the bank" is one game that has never fails to excite participants from about seven years of age on up, regardless of their gender. I enjoy playing this game with mixed genders, and mixed ages of children, teens, and adults. In my opinion, children need to experience playing lighthearted games with adults. "In the river/on the bank" is challenging but still relatively easy to play for physically mobile people. That probably accounts for the fact that boys like playing it as much as girls. I highly recommend the in the river/on the bank as a fun recreational pasttime.

*During that same vacation Bible school experience in the 1950s, Mrs. Owens also taught us how to play "Zoodio". Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/five-traditional-african-american-game.html for a video of Zoodio & the words to that game.

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OTHER ONLINE MENTION OF "IN THE RIVER ON THE BANK"
From http://www.youthgroupgames.org/game/river-bank
"An elimination game in which players need to quickly respond to commands.

Material: None

How to Play

Some divider is chosen by the leader. This can be a string on the ground, the change between sidewalk and grass, or the imaginary line that is drawn between two chairs set up.

The leader explains that one side of the line is the "river" and the other side of the line is the "bank". It is essential to be at the right spot at the right time (can make up story about scorpions on the bank at some times and piranhas in the river at others).

Players then line up, shoulder-to-shoulder, on the bank. The facilitator then shouts out one of two commands - "river" or "bank".

If they facilitator calls "river", players must jump forward across the boundary line into the "river". If the facilitator calls "bank", players must jump back to the "bank". The facilitator can call bank or river multiple times in a row.

If a player jumps when they are not suppose to (or fails to jump in an adequate amount of time), they are eliminated from the game. (it can be helpful for the leader to have them come help judge who should be out so as to keep them engaged.) "

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From http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2011/01/in-the-river-on-the-bank-the-dilemma-of-the-second-generation/

January 3, 2011 by Leslie Pitterson

"When I was little, we used to play this game. We’d put a jump rope on the ground and hop from side to side as the person in charge would say, “In the river, on the bank.” The game was a great way to pass the time at any gathering of eight or more West-Indians. It seems simple enough, but after a few rounds there’d be just two or three of us left. We were the ones with quick reflexes and sharp ears"...

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RELATED LINKS
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD9CUNpbQQk for a video of the game of "In the river on the bank". That video shows fencing swords being the dividing line between "the river" and "the bank".
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Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E32tbmVF5tY for a sound file of the 2008444dancehall reggae song "Pon De River Pon De Banks" by Elephant Man. The excerpt quoted above written by Leslie Pitterson in which she indicated that "in the river/on the bank" was a West Indian game gives credence to the likelihood that the "pon [upon] de [the] river/ pon [upon] de [the] bank" refrain of that dancehall reggae song has its source in the movement game of the same name.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & THANKS
Thanks to Mrs. Owens and others for teaching me this game. Thanks also to the uploaders of these videos and those whose essay & play instructions are reposted here.

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