Marcha de Osías- The March of Osías 

Title: Marcha de Osías 

General Information about Item:

  • Verbal lore
  • Language: Spanish 
  • Country of Origin: Mexico
  • Informant: RIcky Juan-Ramos
  • Date Collected: 5/9/2020

Informant Data:

  • Ricky Juan-Ramos was born February 1, 2001 in Salinas, California.  He grew up in a Mexicna-Philipino-American family.  Ricky’s father identifies predominantly as Philipino but is also of Japanese and Chinese descent, while his mother is Mexican of European descent.  Both his parents speak Spanish but Ricky’s father also speaks Japanese.  As a result, Ricky grew up speaking English, Japanese, and Spanish.  Additionally, Ricky attended schools that were predominantly of Spanish-speaking and Asian populations and was exposed to various facets of Hispanic and Asian culture.  Ricky is a current Dartmouth student in the class of 2023.

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: Ricky learned this nursery rhyme in elementary school from a Latin-American neighbor.  Similar to other kinds of folklore that was collected, this rhyme was accompanied by clapping in a game that resembled pattycake and was played during recess.  The children would then march to the rhythm and pretend to be bears.  This nursery rhyme was primarily passed between children for fun.  
  • Cultural Context: This nursery rhyme originated in Argentina and is relatively unknown to other Spanish-speaking individuals from different countries.

Item:

Audio file:

Original Text:

Osías el osito en 

Mameluco

Paseaba por la calle 

Chacabuco

Mirando las tiendas 

Con reojo

Sin alcancía pero

Con antojo

Por fin decidió ir a un

Bazarito

Todo esto pero sin dinerito

Y con el ganas se fue al mercado

Y encontró 

un temporado

Y con un peso al día

Junto sus 

Alegrías

Regresó al 

Bazarito

Y compró

Un tamborino

Con su tamborino Osías

El osito

Fue el más feliz de todos en 

Mameluco

Paseando por la calle 

Chacabuco

Osías el osito en 

mameluco

Marchaba por la calle

Chacabuco

Word-for-word translation:

Osías the Bear in

Mameluco

Walking along the street

Chacabuco

Looking the stores

With glance

Without piggy bank but

With craving

At last decided to go to a 

Little bazaar

All this but without little money

And with the desire went to the market

And found

A temporary job

And with a peso a day

Together their

Joys

Returned to 

The little bazaar 

And bought 

A tambourine

With his tambourine Osías

The bear

Was the most happy of all in 

Mameluco

Walking along the street 

Chacabuco

Osías the Bear in 

Mameluco

Marching along the street

Chacabuco

Free translation:

Osías the Bear in

Mameluco

Was walking along the street named

Chacabuco

Looking at the stores

With a glance

Without piggy bank but

With a craving

At last he decided to go to a 

Little bazaar

All this but without little money

And with desire went to the market

And found

A temporary job

And with a peso a day

Together their

Joys

He returned to 

The little bazaar 

And bought 

A tambourine

With his tambourine Osías

The bear

Was the happiest in all

Mameluco

Walking along the street 

Chacabuco

Osías the Bear in 

Mameluco

Marching along the street

Chacabuco

Informant’s Comments:

  • Ricky interpreted this rhyme as simply a silly song about bears receiving orders and playing and marching along to the beat.  The nursery rhyme serves only as entertainment. 

Collector’s Comments:

  • Building upon Ricky’s interpretation, this rhyme could reflect the innocence of a child in Argentina.  The sheer joy that the tambourine provided highlights the types of toys that were available to Argentine kids as well as the innocence and happiness.

Collector’s Name: Jasmine Li

Tags/Keywords:

  • Language
  • Nursery rhyme
  • Entertainment
  • Verbal lore

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