A bunch of people running around a road that is not so much a road but a field with grass on it…

I said a boomah-chick-a-boom! I said a boomah-chick-a-boom! I said a boomah-chick-a-rocker-chick-a-rocker-chick-a-boom!

Now that war-cry is stuck in your head, hey? You’re welcome. Yip, they’re still chanting that bad boy at athletics meetings. It’s 2024 now, right? Who would have thought?

Have you ever wondered where such war cries originate from and just why they hibernate all year long until such time as someone decides to paint some lanes on a field and get people to run from one point to another for no real apparent reason? Neither have we…until today that is. Yip we were ‘today-years-old’ when we decided to pose the question to the power of artificial intelligence (because it’s 2024 and artificial intelligence is a thing now).

This is how the conversation went:

Us: Hey AI Generator Thingy.

AI Generator Thingy: Haha, “AI generator thingy” is definitely one way to put it! I prefer Bard, but I appreciate the casual approach. What can I do for you today? Feel free to ask me anything you’d like, or throw out some weird and wonderful prompts, I’m up for the challenge!

(Wait, we’re not actually talking to a real person here are we?)

Us: Why do war cries such as boomah-chick-a-boom exist?

AI Generator Thingy: War cries like “boomah-chick-a-boom” can emerge for a variety of reasons, often interwoven with cultural context and the psychology of battle.

In the heat of battle, a war cry can serve to boost morale and create a sense of unity among warriors. The rhythmic chant and shared vocalisation can synchronise actions, focus attention, and drown out fear. “Boomah-chick-a-boom” might be nonsensical, but its repetitive nature and strong syllables could achieve the following effects:

1. Intimidation and Fear: War cries can also be used to frighten the enemy. The loud noises, aggressive tone, and unknown meaning can disorient and demoralise opponents. While “boomah-chick-a-boom” may not sound inherently terrifying, its use within a larger aggressive display or during a charge could have a psychological impact.
2. Distraction and Confusion: In some cases, war cries might be used to create confusion on the battlefield. The sudden noise and vocal variety can disrupt communication and coordination among enemy forces. While unlikely the primary purpose of “boomah-chick-a-boom,” its unexpected nature could potentially contribute to momentary chaos.

Ultimately, the specific reasons behind a war cry like “boomah-chick-a-boom” depend on the historical context, cultural background, and specific circumstances of its use. It’s important to remember that war cries are complex phenomena with various potential functions, and not all motivations are purely based on aggression or intimidation.

Us: Well, that was disappointing. All we got from that is that “boomah-chick-a-boom” is nonsensical and may not be inherently terrifying. But thanks anyway…

AI Generator Thingy: I apologise if my previous answer fell short of expectations. I understand that you hoped for a more definitive explanation surrounding the specific “boomah-chick-a-boom” war cry.

Unfortunately, without additional context or historical information, it’s difficult to accurately assess its origin, meaning, and intended purpose. The phrase itself is rather ambiguous and could potentially fit within multiple categori…(we’re going to stop you right there AI thingy…it’s not that deep bro.)

(Sorry what? Did an AI Generator Thingy just apologise to us for providing various nonsensical and plausible answers to a completely nonsensical and inconsequential question? We’re impressed. Not gonna lie.)

So…after all that, apparently “boomah-chick-a-boom” can mean whatever you want it to mean…and it can have whatever context you want it to have…and it can bring back any athletics and sports-related memories you may have, good or bad…and it can, and most likely will, be here when your grandchildren’s grandchildren stand next to an athletics track chanting the same thing in the year 2124. The good news for them is that they still won’t have a clue why they are chanting it and where it even came from, and how it even managed to get passed down through multiple generations…like who even came up with it? And if AI Generator Thingy doesn’t know, then who does?

Wow, that was quite the long-winded intro into a story about a bunch of people running around a track…we’re already ten thousand words in and we haven’t even really said anything yet. You’re welcome.

“Op julle merke…”
“Gereed…”
(That’s “on your marks”, and “get set” in Afrikaans kids…because Meneer Jacobs. Enough said.)

So then, on to the actual athletics events. Let’s set the scene for you. The sun was out. The sky was clear. The birds were chirping, and the wind was blowing. Now if you don’t perhaps live in Walkerville or the surrounding areas you can be forgiven for donning your shorts and relevant house t-shirt and for plastering your face and limbs with sunscreen, and for grabbing your hat on the way out the door. But the thing that you most likely didn’t pack was a jacket…right? Neither did we. Rookie error guys. Surely by now we must know that the temperatures in Walkerville are literally a law-unto-themselves and that no matter how hot you may think it will be on any given day, the weather in the “deep South” will be at least 75 Degrees colder than where you live with a real feel of minus-37. You think we’re joking…

Um, so, a group of learners ambled up to the 1200m mark at about 09:15 and along with our starter, Meneer Jacobs, decided to ‘cut the chit chat’ about how ridiculously cold the weather was, and maybe try generating some warmth in their bodies through getting the athletics ‘show on the road’…we’ll it’s not really a road, it’s more like a field, with grass on it. Actually, it’s not even nearly similar to a road…

Whilst the aforementioned show was running around the “not so much a road but more like a field with grass on it”, there were some learners and teachers who decided that the best way to beat the ridiculously cold weather (this is the middle of January in Africa, right?) was to put up a few poles in the middle of nowhere and see who was able to jump the highest over them. We would be quite interested to look up the history of the high jump as an athletic event to try and figure out who ever thought it would be good idea to voluntarily leap into the air over a pole while doing a back flippy-floppy-thingy while aiming for a good landing on some not particularly soft nor fluffy matty-thingys. But, we’ve already bored you to tears about war cries, so we won’t go there right now. And don’t even get us started on the pole vault…

I said a boomah-chick-a-boom! (You’re welcome.)

So there were those people who were running around the “road that was not so much a road as it was a field with grass on it”, there were those who were jumping over a pole (and those who were jumping into the pole, under the pole, and around the pole), and then there were those who decided that they would try their hand at keeping warm by picking up a really, really, really heavy ball and seeing who could throw it the furthest. As a spectator sport, this one is particularly riveting as there are very many different approaches taken by the competitors when it comes to the whole “throwing a really, really, really heavy ball as far as I possibly can” game; but the most common approach seems to be the “nonchalant athlete” who doesn’t quite realise just how heavy the really, really, really heavy ball is and kinda takes the “this is just like throwing a tennis ball guys, come on” approach, until they give the really, really, really heavy ball a good throw and it lands not so far away from their front foot, or the line judge, or the score keeper…

On a serious note though…we were very impressed by the fact that our learners were able to even consider participating in an athletics meeting on the first Friday back at school after a six weeklong holiday, let alone excel at it. Did you know that the fastest 100m sprint time was 11,69 seconds? That’s uphill. Into the Walkerville wind. On the first Friday back. After a six-week holiday. From an athlete who has received no formal training in any way whatsoever. (We’re impressed, not gonna lie.

And, did you know that the highest high jump that was jumped (English for the win) was 1,5m by someone who is not that much taller and who has also never been coached on how to do an actual back flippy-floppy-thingy over a pole-in-the-air-thingy.

Also, did you know that the furthest shot put that was shot was put 10,1m away from the shotput putter (English you win again!). That’s the entire length of our biggest classroom (Mr Knight’s) by someone who has never received any formal training in the “throwing a really, really, really heavy ball as far as I possibly can game”. (We’re impressed, not gonna lie)

All things considered those are some pretty impressive statistics from our learners who were participating in their first athletics meeting of the year on the first Friday back at school after a six-week holiday. Did we mention it was the first Friday back?

I said a boomah-chick-a-boom!

After many, many, many rounds of people running around the “road that was not so much a road but more like a field with grass on it”, and after many, many, many rounds of people doing jumpy-jump-flippy-floppy thingys over a bar thingy, and after many, many, many rounds of people throwing a really, really, really heavy ball as far as they possibly could, it was time…

time for the teachers’ race…

yes, that says ‘teacher’s race’…

One or two of our staff members (not mentioning any names here…clears throat – Mr Knight…cough, cough – Miss Berriman) in their wisdom decided that it would be a great idea for us to have staff race. They then set about asking each of the teachers individually if they would be keen to participate in said race; and much to our surprise just about everyone said they were keen and that they would do it…yes, they would put their teacher “I haven’t run since the late 90s in any way, shape, or form” pride in their pockets and have a bash at a dash.

Why so many of us decided we were actually going to do it is a mystery; maybe it was peer pressure? Maybe the cold weather had stopped our brains from making logical and informed decisions? Or maybe it was because deep down in our hearts we knew that regardless of the result or the outcome of the race, it was all in the name of fun and making memories. And that’s what BESA teachers do…

and if you would like to know the result of the race, guess what? You never will…

that will be top secret. Until the end of time. You will never know…

Unless of course you were one of the one-hundred-odd learners who were glued to the sideline cheering us on. Then maybe you know. But other than that, you will never know!

So on to the results then…in all honesty, they’re not that important, nope the most important part is that everybody had fun and enjoyed the day together, whether on the sidelines cheering on their team or whether they were front and center participating in the events, every learner played their part in making the day a fantastic success.

Okay enough from the marketing department…

Griffiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn!

Clearly the person writing this blog has no affiliation to any house whatsoever.

Griffiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn!

The overall results really are irrelevant.

Griffiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn!

As long as everyone had fun and enjoyed the day.

Griffiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn!

Okay, okay, congratulations to Phoenix house on their stellar spirit performance…can anyone say “I said a boomah-chick-a-boom!”

And congratulations to Pegasus house on trying their utmost to compete with so few learners in their team…they just didn’t have the numbers. Seriously, why are there not more people who are born between the 11th and the 20th of the month? (Maybe AI Generator Thingy knows? We’ll ask on your behalf…)

Griffiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn!