Main Piece: The following is transcribed from a conversation between the interviewer and the informant. Informant: My grandma showed this to me when I was younger, like 9 or 10. Whenever you feel like you’re stuck, or when there’s no way, you pray to Papa Legba, and he will make the way for you. Interviewer:… Continue Reading »
Context: The informant is a student at USC studying Bio-Chem. In this account, he recalls religious stories that he heard. In the transcript of our conversation, he is identified as S (storyteller) and I am identified as C (collector). C: Do you have any stories like from your childhood or from growing up? Anything… Continue Reading »
The following is a conversation with AJ that describes her interpretation and knowledge of the Story of Esther; the story behind the Jewish holiday of Purim. AJ: So basically, the second in command to the King, named Haman, made a decree that everyone needed to bow down to him, but this one guy named… Continue Reading »
Main Piece (direct transcription): Mom: Before dad and I went on our honeymoon to Madrid, dad’s mom held up the Quran, and so did his grandmother, and we actually had to walk underneath the Quran to prevent anything evil from happening to us in our travels. Me: It wasn’t just for the plane; it was… Continue Reading »
Storyteller: “Do you know about the demon baby of Hull House? Hull House was a settlement home developed by Jane Adams, the godmother of social work. And in 1902 a baby was born outside of Chicago, outside of wedlock, where it was born with horns and a tail, and cloven feet. Unable to keep the baby, they… Continue Reading »