Category Archives: Customs

Customs, conventions, and traditions of a group

The Story of the Maiden’s Tower

Text: “This is apparently a popular Turkish legend that I was told on a family trip to Istanbul. It is the story of The Maiden’s Tower, a popular tourist destination. It tells the tale of a princess who was locked in a tower to protect her from a prophecy that she would die from a snake bite. As the legend goes, the king of Constantinople was told by a fortune-teller that his daughter would die from a snake bite on her 18th birthday. In an effort to protect his daughter, the king had a tower built in the middle of the Bosphorus Strait, where he locked the princess away. On the princess’s 18th birthday, the king brought her a basket of fruit as a gift. Unbeknownst to the king, a snake was hiding in the basket, and when the princess reached in to grab a piece of fruit, the snake bit her and she died.”

Context: CW is a close friend of mine and he claimed this popular Turkish legend was told to him and his family by way of a tour guide while they were visiting Istanbul. He claimed, “I thought this story was cool but the most interesting part was how the tower was real and it was so isolated from the whole area that the story kind of became believable in a way”. I found this interesting and asked him to explain more and he just stated that actually seeing the setting of a legend for himself made the legend come to life and seem more believable, whether or not the story is true, it was unique getting to know it was actually possible. He remembered this story because he enjoyed the trip so thoroughly and he actually had a few pictures of the tower which allowed me to understand why the story seems so possible.

Analysis: After rereading the account of this legend I was able to find two main lessons. Firstly, the story highlights the dangers of overprotectiveness. The king’s decision to lock his daughter away in a tower shows how a desire to protect someone can become excessive and ultimately lead to unintended consequences. Instead of shielding his daughter from harm, the king inadvertently brought about her demise. Secondly, the story underscores the notion of fate and how it cannot be avoided. Despite the king’s best efforts to protect his daughter, the prophecy that she would die from a snake bite still came true. With these two lessons in mind, the legend had a purpose and therefor was easier for me to understand. It seemed to me that this legend was likely popular among all residents of Turkey considering it manifests in a popular location within one of Turkeys most populated and popular locations. The story being told to CW and his family indicated to me that it was also popular for the story to be told to visiting groups of tourists. After some research I found that the exact origins of the story of the Maiden’s Tower were unclear, as it has been passed down through oral tradition over many centuries. But it is believed to have originated in ancient Greek mythology, where it was known as the “Legend of Leandros and Hero.” The story was later adopted by the Byzantine Empire, which built a tower in the Bosphorus Strait to protect the city of Constantinople from invasion. Over time, the legend evolved into the tale of the princess who was locked in the tower to protect her from a prophecy. This timeline meant this story has a rich history and consisted of elements from several different cultures which made it all the more interesting.

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The tale of the Stuttgarter Ratskeller

Text: “One popular legend in Stuttgart, Germany is the tale of the Stuttgarter Ratskeller. According to the legend, the Ratskeller (City Hall cellar) was once home to basically a group of goblins or dwarfs known as the Stuttgarter Männle. The story goes that these goblins would steal food, spill wine, and generally wreak havoc. The citizens of Stuttgart tried everything they could to get rid of the Männle, but nothing worked. One day, a cook came up with a plan. He prepared a large vat of stew and laced it with a potent sleeping potion. He then placed the stew in the Ratskeller, where the Männle could smell it from their hiding place in the cellar. As soon as the Männle tasted the stew, they fell into a deep sleep, and the cook quickly sealed the cellar shut with a large stone slab. The Männle were trapped inside, never to cause trouble again. The Stuttgarter Ratskeller is still sealed and people say that the goblins still sleep beneath the city streets.”

Context: BA is one of my closest friends and was very happy to be sharing folklore from his hometown. Apparently, this is a very very popular folk tale that is told even to tourists visiting Stuttgart. BA was told this story by his mother when he was about 8 years old and BA claims he always thought it was funny. He always knew it was not a true story but also thought it was very cool how an effort was made to keep the ratskellar closed. He also recalls how when he was little he was more keen on the possibility of the story being real but now he obviously knows it is untrue. BA believes this is a tale more suited for younger audiences and tourists unfamiliar with the folklore of Stuttgart.

Analysis: This was a very fun tale and I actually found myself to be very intrigued. BA was also very well versed when telling it, which showed me it was an important piece of folklore from his hometown. The story is typically told by locals and tour guides who want to share the city’s rich history and culture with others, but it is kept alive within the community itself usually from a mother or father to their own children. The legend of the Stuttgarter Ratskeller is an example of a classic folk tale that tells the story of mischievous creatures who are eventually defeated by human ingenuity. The tale reflects a common theme in folklore where humans overcome supernatural forces using their intelligence and cunning. The story of the Stuttgarter Männle is also a way for the people of Stuttgart to connect with their past and honor their ancestors. The city has a long and storied history, and the legend of the Stuttgarter Ratskeller is one way for the people of Stuttgart to remember their past and preserve their cultural heritage. Additionally, the legend of the Stuttgarter Männle is a fun and entertaining story that captures the imagination of both children and adults. The tale has been retold in many different forms, including plays, books, and movies, and it continues to be a beloved part of Stuttgart’s folklore. But, from what BA told me, it seems to be more suited for a younger audience.

Dia De Los Muertos “Ofrendas”

Text: “Every year in late October we make a shrine of all of my family member who have passed away, like the one in Coco, and we put out their favorite things. For example we put tulips for my grandma and one of the great grandpa’s ties on the shrine. The idea is that in November 1st they will come visit the shrine and interact with the items and watch over us for the rest of that year in return for us honoring their memory. The shrines are called ofrendas and the kids usually make them but the parents make sure they are structurally sound and beautiful. Making ofrendas is one of my favorite things to do with my siblings and cousin.

Context: GB is originally from Madrid Spain but his mother has strong roots in Mexico, where the tradition was created centuries ago. GB told me stories about making the ofrendas with his siblings and was excited to show me pictures of an example of a shrine from a past holiday. The tradition is very important to GB’s mother because she would make a family ofrenda with her siblings as a child and it seems to be a very long standing tradition from her side of the family.

Analysis: The ofrendas are a central part of the Day of the Dead celebration, which is a time for families and communities to come together to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have passed away. The brightly decorated shrines are meant to welcome the spirits of the dead back to the world of the living, and they are often decorated with offerings such as food, drinks, and personal items that were important to the deceased. The twist of this tradition regards the fact that making these ofrendas means the ghosts of the dead will look over them for the rest of the year, because traditionally the dead can only interact with the living on the days of dia de los muertos. I think this addition is sweet, especially for younger children, for them to be able to feel close to loved ones they may have never gotten to meet. Furthermore, it is a great way for them to get to know what their family members were like based off of what they put on the ofrendas.

The secret to a good wish

Text: “A kind of funny tradition my family has is that whenever we celebrate a birthday we have to make one wish for each year of life. We also have a little book where we each write down our wishes from each previous birthday. Basically each time you celebrate a birthday you add a wish to your list before you blow out the candles on the cake and it is a way of keeping track of what you wanted and makes you appreciate what you already do have a little more. A good example is my wish for my 18th birthday was to get into USC and now I go there, so knowing and seeing my wish actually come true is a result of this tradition. In a weird way I feel like doing this makes wishes come true more often.

Context: CH is a friend of mine from San Francisco. He said this tradition came from his Dad’s side of the family and that his dad had been doing it since he was a kid. Unfortunately, both of CH’s Dad’s parents had passed away so it was impossible to get further detail about the genesis of the tradition. CH believed that this tradition helped hi appreciate all he had more because usually he ended up growing out of whatever he wished for previously, but also that seeing some wishes actually come true throughout his life made him more grateful for the things he did have. It was fun talking to CH about the stories associate with this tradition.

Analysis: The act of blowing out candles on a birthday cake is a fun and lighthearted tradition that has become an integral part of most birthday celebrations. While the origins of the tradition may have been rooted in ancient beliefs and rituals, today it is a way for people to come together to celebrate another year of life and make a wish for the future. This is a fun spin of the super popular act of blowing out birthday candles and I think it is all the better because of it’s positive effects on the outlook of CH and his family. Furthermore, it has a deeper meaning because they are keeping the folklore of CH’s Dad in the process of continuing to do it. Once people become of an older more mature age it would be very entertaining to see how one’s desires had evolved. Furthermore, I think this tradition does have the effect of leading people to believe their wishes are more likely to come true because they get to actually see and remember what they wished for while most other people would have likely forgotten.

Swedish Passing of the Jug

Text: 

For this ritual, the participants form a circle and pass a jar of an alcoholic beverage all the way around until everyone has drunk. At each passing of the jug, they say this to each other (person one starts holding the jug).

Person 1: Per Mattsa!

Person 2: Vud vill du?

Person 1: Jag vill dricka.

Person 2: Så dricka då

Person 1: Per Mattsa!

Person 2: Vad vill du?

Person 1: Hur smakte det? 

Person 2: Känn På!

Transliteration/translation:

Person 1: Greetings

Person 2: What do you want?

Person 1: I want to drink.

Person 2: So – drink

Person 1: What do you want?

Person 2: How did it taste?

Person 1: You taste it.

Context:

The informant is part of a Swedish-American family and does this tradition on a yearly basis at Christmas time.

Analysis:

This tradition has its roots deep in Swedish Viking tradition according to the informant. They claim it was used to prove whether or not it was poisoned as everyone had to drink it. Another variation of the story is that it was used by royalty and the king was the last one to drink and so he would know that it was safe by the time it got to him. Either way, this tradition is a form of showing unity among the group who is partaking in it at a time of year when this is important to them. Despite having its roots in the Viking tradition it is been adapted to being done at Christmas, like many other pagan traditions when the Catholic church pushed to Christianize pagan traditions. Although now it is not done to show the liquid is not poison, the sharing indicates that all are willing to share the same jar. Like many traditions it gets adapted from its original form, keeping the same outline but now being used in a different setting, all the while helping those involved retain a sense of their heritage.