Context: The informant is my father. He is a 55-year old white male and spent the first 26 years of his life in the Soviet Union (Moscow). He, like many others in the USSR was raised as an atheist, and his whole family (including himself) has a background in the sciences; therefore he is a… Continue Reading »
The 26-year-old informant was born in Russia, but moved to the U.S. at a young age. During his undergraduate studies at Dartmouth College, he was a teaching assistant for a Russian folklore class and found these pieces of folklore to be particularly interesting or representative of Russian culture. On shaking hands: “One superstition is you’re never… Continue Reading »
The informant is a 21-year old student attending the University of California Berkeley. She is majoring in Media Studies and Journalism with a minor in Hebrew. She grew up in West Los Angeles with her two parents, immigrants from the Soviet Union. The following is what she said when I asked about her step-daughter’s wedding… Continue Reading »
My informant, KM, explained that Russians believe it is bad luck to whistle under a roof because you are whistling your money away. This is a very strong belief in Russia. KM learned this superstition from her Russian American friend and roommate. Thus, no whistling occurs in KM’s home. KM saw this superstition in the… Continue Reading »