The Hokey Pokey. It’s a song and dance that’s synonymous with childhood fun, birthday parties, and school assemblies. You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out, you put your right foot in, and you shake it all about. It’s simple, it’s silly, and it’s universally loved. But is there more to this seemingly innocent dance song than meets the eye?
Recently, at a lower school assembly, the familiar Hokey Pokey brought smiles and laughter to children, parents, and teachers alike. Led by a seventh grader, the Chapman Room at PDS was filled with music, movement, and a sense of community. It was audience participation at its finest, a joyful way to kick off a Wednesday morning, echoing moments of togetherness around the world facilitated by this simple tune.
Children and adults dancing the Hokey Pokey with enthusiasm
The Hokey Pokey’s infectious rhythm has even led to record-breaking feats of communal joy. Just last June, a staggering 2,351 dancers united on the Walkway Across the Hudson to perform the Hokey Pokey, securing a place in the Guinness Book of Records. This massive display of synchronized movement underscores the song’s power to bring people together in a shared, lighthearted experience.
Unpacking the Unexpected: Hokey Pokey Controversies?
Yet, behind the facade of innocent fun, the Hokey Pokey has, surprisingly, been tangled in controversies. While participating in the dance, likely no one in that school assembly pondered the song stirring up sectarian soccer strife, promoting substance abuse, or mocking a major world religion. However, the history and interpretations of this simple dance song reveal unexpected complexities.
Sectarian Soccer Strife: The “Hokey Cokey” in Glasgow
In 2008, the “Hokey Cokey,” as it’s widely known in the UK, found itself at the center of a peculiar controversy. Fans of the Glasgow Rangers, a football club with Protestant affiliations, were accused of planning to sing the “Hokey Cokey” at a match against Glasgow Celtic, a club associated with Catholicism. This seemingly innocuous dance was interpreted as a sectarian plot, intended to mock and insult Celtic supporters due to the deeply rooted and often volatile rivalry between the two clubs.
This incident, extensively covered in the British press, involved politicians and clergy debating the implications of a children’s dance song. What appeared to be a harmless party activity was suddenly viewed by some as a vehicle for sectarian hatred, highlighting how cultural context and historical baggage can drastically alter the perception of even the simplest of songs.
The Murky Origins: From Hocus Pocus to Wartime Morale
The question arises: how could a song so often associated with innocent merriment become embroiled in such heated debate? The answer lies in the murky history and etymology of the Hokey Pokey.
People in vintage clothing dancing outdoors, possibly during wartime
The name itself is believed to derive from “hocus-pocus,” a term for magical nonsense. “Hocus-pocus,” in turn, is thought to have originated as a Protestant mockery of Catholic priests reciting the Latin phrase “hoc est enim corpus meum” (“this is my body”) during Mass. This historical link suggests a possible, albeit tenuous, connection to religious mockery embedded within the song’s very name.
Adding another layer to the story, songwriter Jimmy Kennedy is credited with popularizing the modern version of the Hokey Pokey during World War II. According to his son, Kennedy was inspired by Canadian soldiers singing a similar tune in a London nightclub, a version rumored to be about the effects of drugs used by miners. Kennedy, recognizing the tune’s catchy nature, adapted it into the “Cokey-Cokey” to boost morale during wartime. This narrative shifts the song’s association from potential religious mockery to one of resilience and lightheartedness in the face of adversity, aligning with the popular image of Britons “keeping cheerful and carrying-on” during the Second World War.
While the sectarian interpretation by some Rangers fans and the possible origins rooted in religious mockery remain part of the Hokey Pokey’s complex history, these associations are largely lost on most modern participants. Today, the Hokey Pokey is generally enjoyed as a harmless, fun dance song, its potentially controversial past submerged beneath layers of cultural reinterpretation and widespread innocent usage.
Navigating Cultural Sensitivity: Beyond the Hokey Pokey
The story of the Hokey Pokey, with its unexpected historical twists and turns, serves as a reminder that even seemingly simple cultural artifacts can carry complex and sometimes controversial baggage. This awareness becomes particularly crucial in educational settings, where educators must be mindful of the potential impact of songs and activities on young learners.
This consideration extends beyond the Hokey Pokey to other seemingly innocuous children’s songs, as exemplified by the case of “Jump Jim Joe,” which the original article further discusses. While the Hokey Pokey, despite its historical nuances, is generally considered safe for continued use, the deeper, more overtly problematic history of songs like “Jump Jim Joe” necessitates a more cautious approach in educational contexts.
Ultimately, the exploration of the Hokey Pokey and similar songs underscores the importance of thoughtful curation in education and beyond. It encourages a deeper understanding of the origins and potential implications of cultural traditions, ensuring that our choices are guided not just by intention, but by a careful consideration of impact and sensitivity to historical and cultural contexts.
