The story of Ging Gang Gooli
During the first world jamboree B.P. was looking for a song that everyone could sing, no matter what their language was.
Ging Gang Gooli was the result.
It is of no language, but it means a lot of fun. The story was apparently created later.
In the deepest darkest Africa there is a legend concerning the Great Grey Ghostly Elephant. Every year after the rains the Great Grey Ghost Elephant arose from the mist and wandered throughout the land at dawn. When he came to a village he stop and sniff the air, then he would either go around the village or through it. If he went round the village, the village would have a prosperous year. If he went through it there would be hunger and drought.
The village of Wat-Cha had been visited three in a row by the elephant and things were very bad
indeed. The village leader, Ging-Ganga was very worried as was the village medicine man, Ha-la-shay. Together they decided to do something about the problem. Now Ging-Ganga and his warriors were huge men with big shields and spears. They decided to stand in the path of the elephant and shake their shields and spears at it to frighten it away. Ha-la-shay and his followers were gong to cast magic spells to deter the elephant by shaking their medicine bags as the elephant approached which made the sound shalawally, shalawally, shalawall.
Very early in the morning of the day the Great Grey Ghostly Elephant, the villagers gathered at the edge of the village, on side were Ging-Ganga and his warriors and on the other was Ha-la-shay and his followers. As they waited the warriors sang softly about their leader: “Ging gang gooli gooli gooli gooli watcha, Ging gang goo, ging gang goo, Ging gang gooli gooli gooli gooli watcha, Ging gang goo, ging gang goo.” As they waited the medicine men sang of their leader: “Heyla, O heyla sheyla, o heyla, sheyla sheyla ho, Heyla, O heyla sheyla, o heyla, sheyla sheyla ho.” And shook their medicine bags: “Shalliwalli, shalliwalli, shalliwalli, shalliwalli” And from the river came the mighty Great Grey
Elephants reply “Oompah, oompah, oompah, oompah…”
The Elephant came closer so the warriors beat their shields and sang louder. “Ging gang gooli gooli
gooli gooli watcha, Ging gang goo, ging gang goo, Ging gang gooli gooli gooli gooli watcha, Ging gang goo, ging gang goo.” Then the medicine men rose and sang loudly. “Heyla, O heyla sheyla, o heyla, sheyla sheyla ho, Heyla, O heyla sheyla, o heyla, sheyla sheyla ho.” And shook their medicine bags.
“Shalliwalli, shalliwalli, shalliwalli, shalliwalli.” And the mighty Great Grey Elephant turned aside and went around the village saying “Oompah, oompah, oompah, oompah…” There was great rejoicing in the village and all the villagers joined together to sing…. Ging gand gooli……
Note: The story titled “The Great Grey Ghost Elephant” written by Scouter Dorothy Unterschutz,
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was first published in Scout’s Canada’s “The Leader” magazine in
the June-July 1991 issue (page 7)
GING GANG GOOLI
Ging gang gooli gooli gooli gooli watcha
Ging gang goo, ging gang goo
Ging gang gooli gooli gooli gooli watcha
Ging gang goo, ging gang goo
Heyla, O heyla sheyla, o heyla, sheyla sheyla ho [x2]
Shalliwalli, shalliwalli, shalliwalli, shalliwalli
Oompah, oompah, oompah, oompah
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