Author Archives: ntayebi@usc.edu

Momotaru

Main Piece: “So there was an old woman who would go to a riverside in Japan to wash clothes. One day she found a sweet peach and wanted to take one home for her husband so he would be happy. Then  the peach just magically appeared next to the woman and the woman took it to her house. When she tried to cut the peach in half, a human boy just came out out of nowhere. They called the boy Momotaro (which means the peach boy). Momotaro grew super fast and became huge like a man. He helped the old couple with house chores. But then there were some evil devils bothering the villagers and Momotaro decided to fight against the devils on the devils’ island to repay the old couple.  He told the old woman that if she made special dumplings for him he would beat the devils because he needed fuel. So, the woman made special dumplings that can give a human being something of like 100 times their power. When he got to the island he beat a huge devil. Momotaro then gave the treasure that the devils had secretly equally to all the villagers”

Background Information: The informant learned this story through her parents who grew up in Tokyo, Japan. The main message behind this story is to always give back and be humble (for example, the peach boy giving back to the villagers after his parents had given him dumplings). The informant says that this is a very common folk story in Japan which parents tell their children.

Context: Next to a grocery store in Los Angeles

Thoughts: Peaches are significant in Japanese culture as being “Kami”, or the Mother goddess which is a symbol of fertility and magic powers. Peaches are in many other different Japan mythology and are said to have magical powers. This story seems to have a symbolic importance with the peach as good luck and not just a morally important lesson.

 

Tengu

Main Piece: “My mom use to tell me a story about a Japanese legend. Back in the day there lived an old woman in a village at the foot of Mount Takao in Japan. She would always cook up food like traditional Japanese food like rice and bamboo shoots for the Tengu, (which are magical looking creatures, to eat). One day, the old woman was super sick so her son became worried and went to get water from some hot spring far away. However, he was clumsy so he tripped just before reaching home and spilled all the water. He was pretty disappointed and thought his mom would get mad at him, but then he noticed water springing up from the ground so he gathered it for his mom. When the old woman bathed in this water, she became healthy again. Everyone in the village said it must have been the Tengu who caused water to spring up as a way of saying thank you to the woman for all the meals she cooked for them.”

Background Information: The informant describes Tengu as a type of legendary creature found in Japanese folk religion and are also considered a type of Shinto god (kami) or yōkai ( supernatural beings). The tengu were  thought to take the forms of bird like creatures. The informat learned this story through his grandparents who live in Japan, and he says that this is one of the most classic and well known stories that involve supernatural beings. He also said this story made him less scared of ghosts when he was a kid because in the story the Tengu help heal the woman.

Context: At a restuarant in downtown LA

Thoughts: This story contains magical elements, will the special healing water which reminds me a little bit of the water of immortality. This story also demonstrates the importance of good deeds, and that you should treat others the way you would want them to treat you (the woman making food for the Tengu and the Tengu healing the woman). This story also contains important aspects of Japanese culture, like food (rice and bamboo shoots). After talking to the informant, he said that his grandmother makes rice and bamboo shoots for him when he is not feeling well.

The Two Frogs

Main Piece: “Once upon a time in Japan there were two frogs, one that had a home in Osaka I think, which is on the sea coast while the other dwelt in a clear little stream in Kyoto. Since this was a large distance they had never seen each other, but the same idea popped into their heads that they should visit Osaka. So they went on the journey and the road to get to Osaka and it was very tiring. When they reached the top to their surprise they sae each other.  One frog said that it was a pity that they weren’t bigger so that they could see the town from the hill. But the other frog said to stand up on their hind legs and hold onto each other to see Osaka. This idea pleased the Osaka frog so much that he stood up immediately and the other frog did too. But at that moment they both looked into each other’s eye and forgot about the beauty of the city and only about each other”.

Background Information: The informant learned this story from his grandparents, and he comes from Japanese descent. The informant says that this is a very popular Japanese Folk story but with many variations, but this is the version his grandparents taught him. His grandparents said the morale of this story is to always stay in the moment and that it is about the journey and the people you meet along the way, not the destination.

Context: At a coffee shop in Los Angeles

Thoughts: This story is interesting because it contains information about Japan itself- Kyoto and Osaka. I am curious why frogs were chosen and not another animal, and if this means that frogs are culturally significant.

Rouhmi Cryus

Main Piece: “Do not be around people who cannot fan your flames.” Rouhmi

Background Information:  The informat learned this saying from his grandparents in Iran when he was having trouble making friends in school. The informat says that this is a typical persian saying that most grandparents or parents tell their children when they are adolescents. The main message behind this is to be around people that can calm you down and ease your nerves. The informat says he takes this into consideration every time he is trying to meet new people and new friends.

Context of Performance: In the informant’s house in San Diego

Thoughts: This proverb seems telling of the Persian culture, especially of who you should surround yourself with. This is different from most proverbs because it is saying to surround yourself with people who can calm your down vs other proverbs that say be around happy upbeat people. This also relates to the Persian value of being humble, and being arround people who can ground you instead of always praise you.

 

 

Raman Grewal

Main Piece: “He who cannot handle the thorns cannot have the rose”- Raman Grewal

Background information: For the informat, he learned this from his parents who learned it from their parents. His parents learned this saying from their parents when they immigrated from Iran into the United States. When the informats parents were struggling to make a living and felt overwhelmed, their parents back in Iran told them this proverb that is common in the Persian community, especially upon immigrating to the United States and other countries. The basic premise behind the proveb is that something so beautiful will always have rough edges, and that  you can not have a good thing if you can’t handle the negative aspects of what come with it. This can apply to people but also also relationships as well. For the informat, he now lives by this and realizes that hardships are always unevitable when you are trying to achieve something you want.

Context of Performance: Outside of a gas station in San Diego

Thoughts: I think that this proverb is interesting because it is important for people in situations of people immigrating to another country, like the informants family. This means that people from other cultures realize that the “American Dream” might be very hard to achieve and might not be easy. Especially with the debate of immigrants and if they should be let into America and other countries, this proverb can be applicable in many different cultures because it demonstrates the reality of achieveing an appealing dream.