Context: The following is an account from the informant, my father. He was introduced to this during his childhood while travelling to his grandmother’s village. Background: This information was about a common superstition that he heard from his grandmother when he arrived at her house. Upon his arrival with his brother, his grandmother exclaimed that… Continue Reading »
Context: The informant is my father (DM) who grew up in California. He told me about how his father, my grandfather, grew up in a haunted house when he was young. The house is located in New Orleans and was supposedly home to the pirate Jean Lafitte, who now haunts the house. The following excerpt… Continue Reading »
Context: The informant and I were driving in the car when we passed over train tracks and she told me the piece. The piece was collected in its natural performance setting. Background: The informant is my mother, who is a third generation Irish immigrant. She learned the piece as a child from her parents who… Continue Reading »
Background: The informant is my mother, who is a third generation Irish immigrant from Bridgeport, CT. She learned the superstition from her mother and has vehemently abided by it ever since. Context: The following piece was collected in a casual, in-person interview at the informant’s home in San Diego, CA. Piece: Informant: “I can’t eat… Continue Reading »
Main Piece: The following is transcribed from dialogue between myself, GK, and the informant, MB. MB: One superstition I know of and believe in is to never show a baby that is younger than 1 year old its reflection in the mirror. If you do, it supposedly brings bad luck to your kid. GK: Where… Continue Reading »