Sixth graders love to visit their favorite game sites...usually some mild-mannered "Super Mario" or "WebKinz" games. It fascinates me that some of the girls at that age love to visit this paper doll, dress-up site where they put different outfits onto paper doll cut-out figures...some things never grow old, I guess!? My 7th graders, depending on what they're into will get into a little more sophisticated games. "I know, I know...no guns, shooting, blood and violence." They all know that rule by now...though I have to keep a close eye, as what doesn't have some of that these days?! (From "Webkinz" to blood and gore in the short little skip and a jump of one year!)
8th graders find their way onto MySpace which even though it's officially blocked by the school filter these kids are savvy enough to find their way around it. The latest entry point is something called "VTunnel". I quietly stand behind them as they navigate to their site and observe what pictures they've posted. Most are reasonable as far as how suggestive they look. However, I find the girls, especially the Hispanic and Brazialian girls, offer some rather provocative poses - lips all fat and pouty, chests out, shoulders and stomachs bare, and they've got the bedroom-eyes look down. All a mere 13 - 14 years old, mimicking poses that you see from any of today's latest teen music stars and movie heart-throbs.
I recently watched as some of the boys showed me some You-Tube videos that they've posted. Again, You-Tube is blocked from the school site, but these guys find their way around it.
They showed me a recent "Krumpin' Showdown" that they were a part of at some local Portuguese-American Club. Being in this population for awhile now, I actually know what Krumpin' is! (and I'm probably giving it far too many letters by spelling it that way...probably "krumpn"!) Anyway, the video showed one kid at a time coming out onto the floor and doing their moves...arms flailing, hands flashing "signs", legs bouncing and kicking to the rhythm of the hip-hop music in the background, and every now and then a little dive to the floor with some old-school break dancing moves. As each guy finished, a kid from the other team came out and countered with his moves. I couldn't really tell which moves were better than others, but every now and then the boys in my room watching would say, "Ooh!" or "Ahh!" or, "That's mad sick!"...all at the same time, so I took that to mean somebody threw down a good move (HA! listen to me!).
Apparently the term "krump" comes from - Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise...and was developed in LA as a way to vent anger and help alleviate violence between neighborhoods and gangs. Not sure that my guys know where the name came from, I'll have to check in on them with that. But, the moves I saw them doing - arm throwing, chest thumping, kicking, poppin', lockin', and power poses, definitely made me think and feel like there was a battle of sorts going on. As long as in the long run nobody gets hurt, I guess it's okay. ..?
Of course, that said, one of the kids proceeded to show me what he feels is really the latest thing with them and that's some kind of all out fighting. Apparently called mixed martial arts, it has some rules...though, it seems more like no holds barred, everything goes. I couldn't look at that for very long...it is violent and yes, it appears that they do get hurt in the end.
Just relaying an observation of the world I work in and what's important to them...
2 comments:
I would never tell this to the kids, but the moves they are doing are very similar, if not the same, as the indigenous dances I have seen on National Geographic specials! So, nothing does change, really. It is all the same just dressed differently, found in different places, at different times. Guess that is why the Wise Ones tell us we are all connected!
Jess likes her krumpin with tea and clotted cream (pinky up) and preferably served at 4. I, of course, am thankful for this video's music in that no one is getting a cap popped at some cop-ers hiney. IE the hip hop music seems less violent than rap, which is a move in the right direction.
H-
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