Main piece: The following is transcribed from a conversation between informant and interviewer. Informant: The day of the dead for example. This one is very popular throughout Latin America too. And it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor… everyone celebrates November 1st and 2nd. There are festivals in the streets and everyone buys those… Continue Reading »
The informant (L) is a 22 year old film student at the California State University Los Angeles. She grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma until leaving for college after high school. She attended camp many summers during her middle and high school years. She told me the story of the Waluhmaloo bird that is told at… Continue Reading »
“When you’re talking about someone who died, you have to do the sign of the cross after you say something, especially if you said something bad.” My informant comes from an Irish-American Catholic family. Crossing oneself is a common gesture within this community, especially when talking of the dead. Although Catholics don’t technically believe… Continue Reading »
Interview Extract: informant: “So in Singapore, around August or September, I forget which month but somewhere there, we have this festival sort of, called the Hungry Ghost Festival. And it’s where all our deadancestors come alive again for a day, but we sort of like, celebrate it for a whole week kinda. And what we… Continue Reading »
When transporting a patient on a gurney out of an Operating Room, you must have them exit the room feet first. Never head first, because that means they’re dead. Informant’s description of the practice verbatim: “I was called overhead in my surgery center where I work as a Registered Nurse, to please come in and… Continue Reading »